Looking Ahead puts the spotlight on runners of interest across Australia and New Zealand. Whether they are a particularly well-bred or high-priced runner having their first or second start, a promising galloper returning to the track or a horse which has trialled particularly well, we’ll aim to give you something to follow.
On Friday, we like a Kris Lees-trained debutante at Tamworth and at the Ballarat meeting we take a close look at a pair of expensive yearling purchases we believe to be on the brink of breakthrough successes.
Tamworth Race 2, Thrifty Car Rentals Maiden, $22,000, 1200m
Enchanted Heart (Shamus Award) makes her first appearance here and following a couple of decent trials she looks ready to make her presence felt. The 3-year-old was successful at her first outing at Gosford and then finished runner-up at Wyong and Andrew Gibbons, who was aboard on both occasions, rides her again for trainer Kris Lees.
Enchanted Heart as a yearling
An $80,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale buy for Australian Bloodstock, Enchanted Heart is out of the unraced Show A Heart mare Shattered Heart (NZ) and she is a sister to the G2 Karrakatta Plate winner Luke’s Luck with their dam a half-sister to the G2 Edward Manifold S. winner She Will Be Loved (Strategic). The pedigree also features the multiple Group 1 winners Danzdanzdance (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel).
Ballarat Race 3, 2.00pm, Suez Maiden Plate, $35,000, 1500m
Hadeer (NZ) (Savabeel) is a half-brother to the Listed Tattersalls Cup and G1 Australian Derby placegetter Kingdoms (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) with their dam A Real Princess (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) a half-sister to the G1 Australasian Oaks winner Marju Snip (NZ) (Marju {Ire}) and the G2 Kewney S. winner Do Ra Mi (NZ) (Savabeel). The second dam Candide (NZ) (Sound Reason {Can}) was a dual Group 1 winner who produced the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner and successful sire Nadeem.
Hadeer (NZ) as a yearling
Trained at Lindsay Park, Hadeer was a NZ$620,000 Inglis Sydney Easter Yearling Sale graduate and has showed promise from a handful of appearances. He ran third in his final 2-year-old outing and resumed last month at Pakenham where he finished runner-up. With that outing under his belt he’s primed to go one better for rider Luke Nolen.
Ballarat Race 4, 2.30, Polytrack Fillies and Mares’ Maiden, $35,000, 1400m
Sensitivity (I Am Invincible) has a deep pedigree and one that came with a $450,000 price tag at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale. She has a long way to go to live up to that, but has started encouragingly with a couple of placings from three appearances, her only failure in last season’s G2 Breeders’ Prelude at Caulfield.
Sensitivity as a yearling
The filly is a daughter of the G1 Flight S. runner-up Sensibility (Redoute’s Choice) who is a half-sister to the G2 VRC Sires’ Produce S. winner Running Tall (Stratum). Their dam Fleeting Touch (USA) (Touch Gold {USA}) is a three-quarter sister to the dam of the multiple Group 1 winner and promising young sire Frosted (USA) and a half-sister to Midshipman (USA) (Unbridleds Song {USA}), a former champion 2-year-old colt and Group 1 winner and producer.
