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 fancy the chances on the Kensington track of a pair of 3-year-olds from international families which have made an impact in Australia while at The Valley we take a closer look at a well-related 2-year-old whose pedigree suggests she can make an impact on debut.
Kensington, Race 1, 3.10pm, Sky Racing Active H., $50,000, 1400m
Indigenous (Wandjina) is a half-sister to the G2 Champagne Classic winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter Zousain (Zoustar) and they are out of Pasar Silbano (Ire) (Elnadim {USA}). She was a talented mare and won five races, including the G3 Santa Anita La Habra S. and the Listed Curragh S.
Wandjina, sire of Indigenous
She is a sister to the black type winner Come To Heel (Ire) and a half-sister to the stakes winner Gerfalcon (GB) (Hawk Wing {USA}) and the family of the two-time Group 1 winner and sire Indian Lodge (Ire). Indigenous was a $260,000 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale graduate and she will surely improve with the experience of her debut third at Canterbury and should be hard to handle here.
Kensington, Race 2, 3.45pm, Exceed And Excel @ Darley H., $50,000, 1400m
Samurai (Fastnet Rock) is a son of Summer Girlfriend (USA) (Forest Camp {USA}) and she was a Listed winner and placed at Group 3 level. At stud, she has produced the winner Patricia Dawn (Sebring), who also ran third in the G3 Kevin Hayes S., and is a half-sister to black type winners Demand Deposit (USA) (Deposit Ticket {USA}) and Confiding Winner (USA) (Confide {USA}).
Samurai as a yearling
Prepared by Chris Waller, Samurai was a trial winner before he made his first appearance at Wyong where he made good ground over 1200 metres to finish runner-up. He looks ideally placed over an extra 200 metres to go one better.
The Valley, Race 3, 7.30pm, Stoney’s 40th Furlough Plate, $50,000, 1000m
Aquis homebred Bellevue Star (Sebring) is a half-sister to the G3 Schweppervescence H. winner Bellevue Hill (Pierro). Their dam Bellevue Girl (Exceed And Excel) was successful over 1000 metres and she is a sister to the G3 McNeil S. winner Sugar Babe, who was also runner-up in the G2 Magic Night S.
The late Sebring, sire of Bellevue Star
The dam is a daughter of the three-time Group 2 winner On Type (Zeditave) and the third dam Even True (True Statement {USA}) won the G3 Swettenham Stud S. Bellevue Star has everything in her favour with an inside gate and will get every opportunity to add to the family roll of honour in the hands of Zac Spain.
