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’re in the camp of a maiden contender at Grafton whose recent performances point to a winning run while at Bet365 Park Wodonga we fancy the chances of a well-related 3-year-old on debut for Lindsay Park and a stablemate who looks on the verge of a breakthrough victory.
Grafton, Race 6, 4.15pm AEDT, Angourie Resort H., $22,000, 1100m
Le Figaro (Dream Ahead {USA}) was bought out of Kitchwin Hills’ draft at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $80,000 and is a daughter of the winning Anabaa (USA) mare French News. She is a half-sister to the G3 WJ Healy S. winner News Alert (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and they are out of a half-sister to the dual stakes winner Force Apollo (Catrail {USA}).
Le Figaro as a yearling
Trained by Matthew Dunn, Le Figaro has made a solid start to her career and has placed twice in her brief career. The mare was prominent in both of her trials before finishing third at Ballina where she was sent out a short-priced favourite so it may pay to follow the money again.
Bet365 Park Wodonga, Race 1, 1.30pm AEDT, Wodonga Border Carpets Plate, $23,000, 1200m
Ord (Written Tycoon) is from a prolific stakes family and was purchased out of Woodside Park Stud’s draft at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $320,000. The chestnut is a son of Too Discreet (Henny Hughes {USA}) and she is a half-sister to the G1 Schweppes Oaks winner Maybe Discreet (Shamardal {USA}) and the G3 Spring S. winner Just Discreet (Exceed And Excel).
Ord as a yearling
It is also the family of Edward Manifold S. winner Serenely Discreet (Exceed And Excel) and the Group 3-winning siblings Be Discreet (Euclase) and She’s Discreet. The Lindsay Park-prepared Ord hasn’t been to any official trials, but is sure to be well-schooled and from an inside gate will get every opportunity to star on debut.
Bet365 Park, Wodonga, Race 3, 2.30pm AEDT, Peards Albury Plate, $23,000, 1400m
Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes also look to have a top winning prospect here in Unchain My Bike (Rubick), who is overdue a winning trick after three consecutive runner-up finishes. Most recently, he went close at Ballarat and looks the stand-out chance in this line-up.
Rubick, sire of Unchain My Bike | Standing at Coolmore
Unchain My Bike is out of Unchain My Heart (Al Maher), who was a talented race mare and won 10 races, including two editions of the Listed Andrew Ramsden S. and the Listed Bagot H. She is a daughter of the multiple winner Fly By Night (Prince Of Birds {USA}), who also ran fourth in the G1 Australian Oaks, and the family of the international Group performers Country Music (Danzero) and Maison Der Paris (Grand Lodge {USA}).
