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 taking a closer look at a trio of progressive 3-year-olds in action at Kembla Grange, Caulfield and Eagle Farm with lucrative spring campaign looking to be awaiting all three of them.
Kembla Grange, Race 8, 3.35pm AEST, G3 Up And Coming S., $160,000, 1300m
Concocted (Written Tycoon) is a colt of rich promise and was a debut winner last season before he finished runner-up to his also highly regarded stablemate Silent Impact (Maurice {Jpn}) in a competitive lineup at Rosehill. He will need to go to another level here, but has a handy gate, four, and promises a bold sight.
Concocted as a yearling
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Concocted was offered at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Valiant Stud and was knocked down to China Horse Club and Newgate for $190,000. He is the first foal of Magic Obsession (Magic Albert), who is a half-sister to the G3 Summer Cup winner Red Excitement (Excites) and the family of the G1 Golden Slipper S. winner and successful young sire Capitalist.
Caulfield, Race 7, 3.55pm AEST, G3 Beck Probuild Quezette S., $200,000, 1100m
A homebred for Emirates Park, Najmaty (I Am Invincible) is a daughter of the dual Group 3 winner Najoom (Northern Meteor) and she is out of a half-sister to black-type winners Upon This Rock (Fastnet Rock), Bhutane Dane (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Gaze On (Intergaze). Also prominent in the pedigree is the multiple Group 1 winner and sire Criterion (NZ), whose half-brother Comin’ Through (Fastnet Rock) won the G1 Doomben Cup.
I Am Invincible, sire of Najmaty | Standing at Yarraman Park
Najmaty is trained by Peter and Paul Snowden and won first time out last season on the Kensington track at Randwick before she was sent to Melbourne to claim the Listed Redoute’s Choice S. over this course and distance. She has been given three trial outings to fit her for this assignment and appeals as a top chance in the hands of John Allen.
Eagle Farm, Race 1, 11.23am AEST, Racecourse Village QTIS H., $75,000, 1000m
She’s Heavenly (Nicconi) was offered at the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale by breeder Eureka Stud and was knocked down to co-trainer Tony Sears for $32,000. She is bred for speed and demonstrated an abundance of pace last season when she was untested at Ipswich and Toowoomba to remain undefeated following a pair of commanding front-running performances.
She’s Heavenly as a yearling
The filly is a granddaughter of Pearly Shells (Semipalatinsk {USA}), who won eight times up to 1400 metres and is a sister to the dam of the Listed Doomben Slipper winner Diamondsontheinside (Iglesia). The family also includes the G3 Concorde H. winner, Group 1 sprint performer and sire Ardrossan, his half-brother and G3 Tattersall’s Cup winner Incentivise (Shamus Award) and last season’s G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic winner Prince Of Boom (Spirit Of Boom).
Looking Back
First Platoon (Sebring) looked half a chance at the top of the straight, but couldn’t go on with effort and ran sixth at Geelong where Romania (Redoute’s Choice) never got our hopes up and finished well back. Elected (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) couldn’t reproduce a couple of promising trial efforts and finished midfield at Port Macquarie in his Australian debut.
