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 will aim to give you something to follow.
Today, we are concentrating our efforts on the Ballarat meeting where we like an in-form filly who has had the benefit of a recent outing, a 2-year-old who has been freshened since making his debut and a 3-year-old is expected to go close after finishing runner-up when resuming.
Ballarat, Race 2, 1.30pm AEST, Cervus Equipment Plate, $23,000, 1200m
Sweet Home Alabama (Starspangledbanner) has been around the mark in all of her starts and came off a four-month break on this course last month to finish fourth. The filly is sure to be sharper for that outing and from the ace draw she promises to give a bold sight in the hands of regular rider Lachlan King.
Starspangledbanner, sire of Sweet Home Alabama | Standing at Rosemont Stud
Bred by E Thoroughbreds, the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Sweet Home Alabama was purchased out of Evergreen Stud Farm’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft by Flemington Bloodstock and Malua Racing for $35,000. She is a half-sister to the Group performers Back Off (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Territorial Waters (Fastnet Rock) and his sister Mary Lou with their dam the Woodman (USA) mare Miss Alabama (NZ). She is from the family of the dual French Group 3 winner Northern Premier (USA) (Northern Baby {Can}) and the G2 San Francisco Mile H. winner Ninebanks (USA) (Smokester {USA}).
Ballarat, Race 3, 2pm AEST, Suez Plate, $23,000, 1000m
Sprites (No Nay Never {USA}) is the first foal out of the winning Reset mare Aussie Gal and she is a half-sister to four winners with their dam a half-sister to the Listed Gimcrack S. winner Millie (Marscay) and Touch Of Sun (Snippets), who was successful in an edition of the Listed Winter Cup. Also under the second dam is the G1 Golden Slipper S. winner She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain), whose half-brother and first-season sire standing at Kingstar Farm, Time To Reign, won the G2 Silver Slipper S.
No Nay Never (USA), sire of Sprites | Standing at Coolmore
Prepared by Peter and Paul Snowden, Sprites stepped out for the first time on this course in March and finished fifth in a small field. The 2-year-old has been given plenty of time to get over the run and with the benefit of that experience, can be far more competitive from the inside alley.
Ballarat, Race 4, 2.30pm AEST, Polytrack Plate, $23,000, 1500m
Mongolian Pride (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) was purchased by trainer Robert Hickmott’s brother Michael at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for NZ$100,000. He was bred by the Inner Mongolia Rider Horse, who has remained in the ownership, and offered by Highview Stud and is a son of the Listed Rotorua S. winner Oak Park (More Than Ready {USA}).
Mongolian Pride (NZ) as a yearling
Oak Park is out of a half-sister to the Listed McDougall S. winner Tantra (Royal Academy {USA}) and to the dam of the G2 Percy Sykes S. winner and G1 Golden Slipper S. runner-up Away Game (Snitzel). The lightly raced Mongolian Pride finished runner-up when resuming at Pakenham over 1400 metres and the step up in distance here can see him go one better.
Looking Back
We picked out three horses to follow in Sunday's racing, with Django Express (Sebring) performing the best of them, finishing third at Ballarat after kicking clear in the straight only to be run down late in the race.
Yaphet (Blackfriars) sat up near the pace in his 1200-metre Ballarat maiden and faded late to finish seventh, beaten 5l, while Zentime (More Than Ready {USA}) struggled on a very wet Hawkesbury track to be well beaten.
