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 check out three horses on debut, all with very close connections to Group 1 winners. Two of them are out of top quality mares and the other is a half-brother to a Group 1-winning shuttle stallion.
Wangaratta, Race 1, 12.30pm AEST, BetEasy 2YO Fillies Mdn, $31,500, 1170m
Valanetti (Sebring) makes her debut along with 11 others in this wide open 2-year-old race. She bears the colours of Cambridge Stud's Brendan and Jo Lindsay, who paid $340,000 for her at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Valanetti as a yearling
She has been sent to Mick Price, who trained her Group 1-winning dam Gallica (Redoute's Choice), and his training partner Michael Kent Jnr. Gallica, who has produced three winners to date, hails from a pretty smart international family which includes stakes-winners Masterful (USA) (Danzig {USA}), Corviglia (USA) (Cresta Rider {USA}) and River Rhythm (USA) (Riverman {USA}). Valanetti had a recent Caulfield jump-out where she showed some early pace before dropping back through the field in the final stages.
Wangaratta, Race 2, 1pm AEST, Lekeal Mdn, $31,500, 1170m
American Whiskey (USA) (Declaration Of War {USA}) was originally sold through the Keeneland September Sale in 2018, and then catalogued at an Arqana Sale at Deauville, and makes his debut at Wangaratta for Team Hawkes and Orbis Bloodstock.
Declaration Of War (USA), sire of American Whiskey (USA)
His sire, Declaration Of War, creates plenty of interest having sired three Group 1 winners in Australia in his two seasons at Coolmore. American Whiskey's dam, Dream The Blues (Ire), has also produced the G1 Phoenix S. winner Sioux Nation (USA), the son of Scat Daddy (USA) who stood at Swettenham Stud in 2019.
He looked strong at a recent Flemington jump-out, showing speed before finishing second, beaten only a small margin under a hold.
Wyong, Race 2, 1.50pm AEST, De Bortoli Wines Mdn, $31,500, 1000m
Fenech (Redoute's Choice) gets to the track for the first time for Brad Widdup and boasts a very interesting pedigree, being a brother to two South African Group 1 winners in Rafeef and Mustaaqeem, out of a Group 1 winner in National Colour (SAF) (National Assembly {Can}).
Fenech as a yearling
He cost $460,000 at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the Arrowfield draft and while he has taken a while to get to the track, has shown enough in a couple of recent trials at Gosford and Hawkesbury, finishing second on both occasions to suggest he can make an impression at this level.
