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 Tuesday, Yitai Loyalty looks to atone for his first start defeat at Ballarat, while at Gosford, we check out a couple of well-bred fillies from Peter and Paul Snowden's stables.
Ballarat Synthetic Race 1, 1:30pm AEST, Craigs Royal Hotel 3YO Mdn, $23,000, 1200m
Yitai Loyalty (Wandjina) debuted over this track and distance last month and was just run over late having set the pace throughout. He should be improved off that experience against a field made up of mainly first starters.
Yitai Loyalty as a yearling
He was a $360,000 Gold Coast Magic Millions purchase for his co-trainer Ciaron Maher at the 2018 sales and is out of the very well-related mare Heaven Has Eyes (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who is a blood sister to Group 2 winner Forever Loved (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}). His third dam is the champion filly Tristalove (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), who is the dam of Group 1 winner Viking Ruler (Danehill {USA}).
Gosford Race 3, 1:50pm AEST, Kent Law Group 3YO Mdn, $35,000, 1100m
There are several debutants worth following in this race, including Penang (I Am Invincible), who was a $300,000 buy for China Horse Club at the 2018 Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She is out of two-time winner Dora 'n' Boots (Hidden Dragon), who is a full sister to Group 3 winner Hidden Warrior and half to Listed winner Defiant Dame (More Than Ready {USA}).
Penang as a yearling
That family is connected back through the Group 3 winner Hayley's Hope (NZ) (Habitation {GB}) to Group 1 winning duo Red Tracer (Dane Shadow) and Shellscrape (Dane Shadow).
Penang has had a couple of trials ahead of her debut, the most recent where she was not far behind the stakes-class filly Athiri (Lonhro).
Gosford Race 5, 3:05pm AEST, Mariners Yellow & Navy Foundation 4YO & up Mdn, $40,000, 1100m
The superbly bred Appian Way (Exceed And Excel) returns to the track looking to break her maiden as an early 4-year-old. She had two starts in Victoria late in her 2-year-old season and wasn't too far away in either. A recent comfortable trial win showed she is back on track after a 12-month break.
Exceed and Excel, sire of Appian Way
She is out of the speedy mare Avenue (Anabaa {USA}), the multiple stakes winner, who is a full sister to Group 1 winner Virage de Fortune, who produced a winner at Rosehill on Saturday in Subedar {Sepoy). Avenue has already produced a couple of winners herself and like this filly was a grey, a colour that sources back to Appian Way's third dam Emancipation (Bletchingly).
