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 Thursday, we head to Otaki were a filly by Pride Of Dubai takes on an early 2-year-old race before heading to Bendigo, where a $700,000 colt looks to break his maiden and a well-bred filly raced by Waikato Stud returns to the track.
Otaki Race 1, 12:47pm NZST (10:47am AEST), Otaki Mail 2YO, $10,000, 800m
It's a small field for this early 2-year-old race in New Zealand, but there are a couple of interesting runners, including Platinum Dubai (NZ), a filly from the first crop of Coolmore's Pride Of Dubai. She was successful at a recent jumpout at Levin and her trainer Lisa Latta describes her as a 'compact, precocious 2-year-old type.'
Pride Of Dubai, sire of Platinum Dubai
It is not known how she might handle a very heavy track at Otaki, but her breeding suggests it shouldn't be a problem. Her dam, Musical Lady (Carnegie {Ire}) won on rain-affected going and is a half-sister to Rena's Lady (Arena), who won both the G3 Adrian Knox S. and the G1 Australian Oaks on wet tracks and Raise (Arena), who won the Adrian Knox S. on a heavy 10 by 6.5l. This filly was a $100,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Book 1 buy for her trainer.
Bendigo Race 1, 1:30pm AEST, The Big Screen Company 3YO Mdn, $35,000, 1300m
Royalty (Fastnet Rock) may have let the punters down when beaten narrowly on debut at Murray Bridge, but he looks well placed to atone here assuming he takes natural improvement from that first-up run.
He was a $700,000 purchase for his co-trainer Tony McEvoy and Tim Stakemire out of the Karaka Millions mare Sister Havana (NZ) (General Nediym) at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale.
Fastnet Rock, sire of Royalty
Sister Havana has also produced the three-time South African winner The Rocketman (Foxwedge) and is a half-sister to the dam of three-time stakes winner Amelie's Star (Testa Rossa) from the extended family of Group 1 winners Reward For Effort (Exceed And Excel) and Overreach (Exceed And Excel).
Bendigo Race 2, 2pm AEST, Bendigo Mazda F&M Mdn, $35,000, 1400m
Waikato Stud's Chittick family are enjoying a run of success of late with their horses on the track and Magazine (NZ) (Savabeel), trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, can add to that at her second start here. She had just one start as a 2-year-old, finishing ninth in what proved a very strong maiden at Ballarat. She returns through a recent trial, where she finished fourth behind a stablemate, who then came out and won last week.
Savabeel, sire of Magazine
Her dam Vogue (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) was a winner of two races and is in turn out of Group 1 winner Glamour Puss (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}). That's a very strong family which includes the likes of Group 1 winners Vision and Power (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}) and Steps In Time (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) as well as stakes-winners Escadaire (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) and Rare Insight (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}). This filly's older brother Subban (NZ) is a five-time winner.
