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.
Today, we concentrate our efforts on Flemington where we like the prospects of a 2-year-old resuming following a stakes outing and a pair of last-start 3-year-old winners who look capable of strong follow-up performances.
Flemington, Race 1, 4.00pm, Firstly Sprint, $50,000, 1000m
Unblushing (Brazen Beau) made her first appearance in the G3 Ottawa S. over this course and distance in the spring and she gave a good account of herself in a competitive line-up to finish fifth. She hasn’t been seen since, but this is a far easier assignment and a gilt-edged opportunity for her to resume in style.
Brazen Beau, sire of Unblushing
A half-sister to a pair of winners, Unblushing is a daughter of the stakes winner Zubbaya (Dubawi {Ire}) and she is out of the French stakes performer Sabkha (USA) (Green Desert {USA}). It’s also the family of the North American Group 3 winners Atlantic Ocean (USA) (Stormy Atlantic {USA}) and Converge (USA) (Sidney’s Candy {USA}).
Flemington, Race 2, 4.30pm, Maxcap Dash, $50,000, 1000m
A $1,150,000 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale purchase, Feelings (Fastnet Rock) is a sister to the Karaka Million 3YO Classic winner Long Leaf with their dam the Stravinsky (USA) mare Frustrating. She is a half-sister to the Group 1 winners Tiger Tees (Dubawi {Ire}), his Group 2 winning half-brother Ball Of Muscle, Terravista (Captain Rio {GB}) and the former Singapore Horse of the Year and sire Super Easy (NZ).
Feelings as a yearling
Feelings (Fastnet Rock) was given a run during the winter and finished fourth at Mornington before she was put aside to develop by Lindsay Park. She showed the benefit of that approach when she successfully reappeared at Cranbourne where she bolted in by a wide margin.
Flemington, Race 6, 6.30pm, Eynesbury Plate, $50,000, 1100m
Proper Rouge (Snitzel) is out of the unraced Mr Greeley (USA) mare Fairly Feline (USA) and she is a half-sister to the G1 Santa Anita Oaks winner Crisp (El Corredor {USA}) and the stakes winner Deer Valley (USA) (Speightstown {USA}). It’s also the family of the G1 Belmont Futurity S. winner and sire Whywhywhy (USA).
Snitzel, sire of Proper Rogue
Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Junior, Proper Rouge has made an encouraging start to his career and finished runner-up in both of his starts during the winter before a break. The 3-year-old returned at Geelong in late January for a tidy win and there’s every reason to think he will strip fitter for that outing and go close again.
