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 take a closer look at Geelong at a costly youngster who ran well on debut and an improving 3-year-old who also looks set for a first success while at Donald we like the chances of a filly who ran second first time out behind a subsequent black type winner.
Bet365 Geelong, Race 1, 1.30pm AEDT, bet365 Top Tote Plus Plate, $22,000, 1225m
Audacious Heart (Fastnet Rock) was an expensive youngster with Waterford Bloodstock going to $750,000 to secure her out of Coolmore’s Magic Millions National Weanling Sale draft. A half-sister to stakes winner and Group performer Tashbeeh (Commands), the filly is out of the More Than Ready (USA) mare More Valour.
Fastnet Rock, sire of Audacious Heart | Standing at Coolmore
She is a half-sister to the G2 Wakeful S. winner Timbourina (Timber Country {USA}) and the G2 Magic Night S. winner Media (Gilded Time {USA}). Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Audacious Heart made solid ground from back in the field to finish third on debut at Mornington and it may prove wise to stick with her.
Bet365 Geelong, Race 2, 2.05pm EADT, Roderick Insurance Brokers Plate, $22,000, 1733m
Keep Ya Distance (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) turned in the best performance of his brief career at his most recent appearance at Kyneton where he boxed on soundly to finish third. The step up in distance here will suit him ideally and he looks well-placed for the first winning strike of his career.
Reliable Man (GB), sire of Keep Ya Distance (NZ) | Standing at Westbury Stud
The 3-year-old is prepared by Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, who bought him for NZ$30,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale where he was offered by Phoenix Park. He is a half-brother to a pair of winners with their dam Final View (NZ) (St Petersburg) a half-sister to the mother of the G3 Eclipse S. winner Zabisco (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the G3 Waikato Cup winner Justamaiz (NZ) (Guillotine {NZ}). This is also the family of the two-time Group 1 winner Solzhenitsyn (NZ) (St Petersburg).
Donald, Race 2, 1.15pm AEDT, Goodwin Village Donald Plate, $35,000, 1350m
Seb Song (Sebring) comes here with a glowing form line for trainers Jason Warren and Dean Krongold after finishing runner-up on debut at Sale to the subsequent Listed Springtime S. winner Shelby Cobra (Toronado {Ire}). Natural improvement from that experience should make her hard to beat in this.
Seb Song as a yearling
The filly was an $85,000 buy for Warren and Peregrine Bloodstock at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Blue Gum Farm. She is a daughter of Silken Song (Unbridled’s Song {USA}) who he has left eight winners, including the G1 Queensland Derby second Electric Fusion (Fastnet Rock). The dam is a half-sister to the stakes winner and Group 1 placegetter Danasia (NZ) (Danehill {USA}), who produced the G1 Rosehill Guineas winner Zabrasive NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the family of the G1 Flight S. winner Cheeky Choice (Redoute’s Choice).
