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 The Valley where we like a stakes winner taking a step back in class, a 3-year-old who produced a bold showing on debut and a lightly-tried galloper who looks a strong chance to add to his winning tally.
The Valley, Race 1, 5.15pm AEST, Bill Badger H., $50,000, 1600m
Tanker (Pride Of Dubai) won the Listed Debutant S. last season and continued to race with credit in much stronger company than he meets here. He was a close fourth in a competitive age group event for 3-year-olds at Caulfield last time out over this trip and will carry 1.5kg less, courtesy of Teodore Nugent’s claim.
Tanker as a yearling
Prepared by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Tanker was bought for $170,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where he was offered by Edinburgh Park. He is a half-brother to the Listed Cinderella S. winner Lady Naturaliste (Choisir) and their dam Calcatta (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) won the Listed Dequetteville S. She is a daughter of the two-time black-type winner Calchris (Commands) so there is plenty of upfront stakes performance to instil confidence.
The Valley, Race 2, 5.45pm AEST, Tony Cassidy Plate, $50,000, 1200m
Viscacha (Street Boss {USA}) is a half-brother to three winners, including Lanigera (Denman), who has also placed in the G3 Chairman’s S. Their dam Chinchilla (Exceed And Excel) was a smart mare who was successful three times with two of those at Listed level.
Street Boss (USA), sire of Viscacha | Standing at Darley
The dam is out of a half-sister to the G3 Mercedes Benz S. winner Jar Jar Binks (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and he also finished third in an edition of the G1 QTC Sires’ Produce S. Trained by James Cummings, Viscacha was a close fourth in his Bendigo debut with an effort that suggested he can be a major player in this.
The Valley, Race 4, 6.45pm AEST, Andrew Lemon AM H., $50,000, 1200m
Winning Red (I Am Invincible) is a progressive 4-year-old with a pair of wins from his last three appearances. At his most recent start, he was successful under 62kg and he drops a kilo here with John Allen to take the reins again.
Winning Red as a yearling
From the Lindsay Park establishment, Winning Red was purchased out of Burnewang North’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale draft for $100,000. He is a son of the stakes-winning Van Nistelrooy (USA) mare Scarlet Vanhara (NZ), whose four foals to race are all winners. She is out of a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Zonda (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the G2 PJ O’Shea S. winner Magnolia Hall (NZ) (Noble Bijou {USA}).
