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, a filly out of a former star 2-year-old resumes at Ballarat, a three-quarter brother to So You Think (NZ) makes his debut at Hawkesbury, while a colt related to a host of Group 1 winners makes his first appearance at Ipswich.
Ballarat Race 1, 1:30pm AEDT, Last Straw Hay Supplies Fillies and Mares Mdn, $35,000, 1000m
Miss Amelia (More Than Ready {USA}) kicked off her career for Bjorn Baker, having one start on a heavy track at Nowra where she was beaten as a short-priced favourite. She now finds herself in Victoria with David Brideoake, where she impressed with a recent Cranbourne trial win.
More Than Ready (USA), sire of Miss Amelia
She is a homebred for Richard Pegum from Amelia's Dream (Redoute's Choice), the star 2-year-old who won her first two starts by a total of 15l before breaking down. As a broodmare, she has produced four winners, including the stakes-placed Better Land (Shamardal {USA}), while this filly's full brother Spirit And Fire has also been a metropolitan winner.
Hawkesbury Race 3, 2:35pm AEDT, Pink Finss Charity Mdn, $35,000, 1300m
Anthony Cummings has had to show his fair degree of patience with McGraw (High Chaparral {Ire}), the three-quarter brother to champion So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who cost him $400,000 back at the 2016 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
High Chaparral (Ire), sire of McGraw
He makes his debut here as a 5-year-old having been to the trials on five previous occasions. His most recent performance, a narrow second in a Randwick trial, was by far his best and he should be ready to make an impression first-up over 1300 metres.
His dam, Le Souvenir (Nuclear Freeze {USA}) was a winner in New Zealand and is a half-sister to dual Hemisphere Group 1 winner So You Think (NZ) out of Triassic (Tights {USA}), who has also produced the stakes-placed Now You Know (Elusive City {USA}).
Ipswich Race 4, 4:40pm AEDT, Channel Seven QTIS Three-Year-Old, $21,000, 1350m
Honey Bird (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) makes his debut for Kacy Fogden in the Aquis Farm colours off of a good recent trial at Deagon. He went through the sale ring twice as a 2-year-old, selling for $10,000 at the 2018 Inglis Classic Sale then fetching $90,000 at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale four months later.
Honey Bird as a yearling
His dam, Princess Carnegie (Carnegie {Ire}) is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Pillar Of Hercules (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) and has already produced the stakes-placed King's Pact (Lucky Owners {NZ}) as well as three other winners. The third dam is the Group 1 winner Fitting (Marscay), who also produced the G1 Golden Slipper winner Catbird (Danehill {USA}) and his Group 2 winning brother Danbird.
