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’re expecting bold showings from a pair of well-related maiden contenders at Sale and at Swan Hill we like the chances of a filly who drew attention to her chances with a solid debut effort.
Sale, Race 2, 12.45pm AEST, Powered Solutions 3YO Plate, $35,000, 1529m
Grinzinger Knight (I Am Invincible) has been patiently handled by trainer Danny O’Brien and was put aside after one appearance last season. The colt resumed at Bendigo earlier this month and finished an encouraging fourth over 1400 metres. He will surely improve with the outing and his pedigree suggests he will appreciate a step up in distance.
Grinzinger Knight as a yearling
Offered by breeder Gooree Park Stud at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Grinzinger Knight was purchased for $150,000 by Victorian John Wheeler. The now 3-year-old is a son of the G3 Sweet Embrace S. winner Romantic Moon (More Than Ready {USA}), who is a sister to the dual Group 1 winner Prized Icon and half-sister to the G3 Tesio S. winner Matras (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}). It’s also the family of the G2 Stan Fox S. winner and G1 TJ Smith S. runner-up Kabayan (Haradasun).
Sale, Race 4, 2.05pm AEST, DFK Construction Plate, $35,000, 1629m
Baron Of Bedford (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) was bred by GSA Bloodstock and sold through Trelawney Stud’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft to Mark Kavanagh for NZ$140,000. He is a half-brother to the French black-type performer Marouche (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and their dam Mansera (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) is a half-sister to the three-time Group 1 winner Manighar (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}).
Baron Of Bedford (NZ) as a yearling
Prepared by Kavanagh and his son Levi, Baron Of Bedford has placed from a handful of starts and last time out came from last to finish fourth on a heavily rain-affected track at Donald. He should appreciate a better surface and has the added bonus of Jamie Kah in the saddle.
Swan Hill, Race 2, 1.35pm AEST, Jarrod Arentz Electrical & Solar Solutions Mdn, $25,000, 1300m
Fiasco Tess (Sebring) produced an encouraging performance at the first time of asking at Bairnsdale earlier this month. She settled at the tail of the field and steadily made up ground to finish fifth and less than 2l off the winner. The filly has drawn the inside gate and should be given the ideal run by rider Damien Thornton.
The late Sebring, sire of Fiasco Tess
Bred and trained by David Brideoake, Fiasco Tess is a half-sister to the G3 Alexandra S. winner Thames Court (Commands) who also ran fourth in an edition of the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. They are out of Pantenny (Canny Lad), who was successful in the Listed Burgess Queen S. and also from the family of the Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial winner Tellall (Spill The Beans).
Looking Back
Loveplanet (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) looked the winner halfway down the straight when he kicked clear at Randwick , but was caught late and we had to settle for second while our other selection Glistening (Zoustar) was a close-up sixth. At Moonee Valley, Hilal (Fastnet Rock) was a disappointing fifth.
