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.
Friday, we pay attention to a homebred mare at Kempsey from the family of Newgate sire Brutal (NZ), a half-brother to the Group 1-winning filly Forbidden Love (All Too Hard) at Warrnambool, and a son of the triple Group 1-winning mare Yosei (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) at Pakenham.
Kempsey, Race 1, 1.05pm AEDT, Jack Howard Memorial Showcase Class 3 H., $30,000, 1450m
Four-year-old mare Oh Say (Starspangledbanner) is a homebred for Kirk’s Bridge Farm in Baerami, a boutique property that has turned out such black-type graduates as Cavalry Rose (Charge Forward) and Testarhythm (Testa Rossa), both of whom feature in the pedigree of this mare.
Oh Say comes into this race with very respectable form, having been among the first four in all eight of her previous starts for Port Macquarie trainer Neil Godbolt.
Last time out, the mare was second on a Heavy 8 at Taree, and her previous outing at this track resulted in a win when carrying a similar weight (60kg). She has drawn handily in barrier fo and is familiar with the course, albeit this is her first time stepping up to 1450 metres.
Oh Say is the second foal from the well-related broodmare Alberton Waltz (Testa Rossa), who is a blood sister to Testarhythm and a half-sister to Cavalry Rose. This is the multiple stakes-producing ‘Alberton’ family, which has produced such good horses as Te Akau Rose (NZ) (Thorn Park) and Newgate stallion Brutal (NZ).
Warrnambool, Race 3, 2.30pm AEDT, Ocean Road Realty 3-Year-Old Mdn, $25,000, 1100m
Royal Fox (Foxwedge) is lightly raced with three starts to his name, each during his 2-year-old campaign last season, and he heads into this race for local trainer Matthew Williams as a first start 3-year-old.
The gelding was fourth and second in a pair of jump outs through October, so the form is positive, and he’ll carry top weight of 58kg with Dean Yendall aboard.
Royal Fox was a $40,000 yearling purchase for his trainer at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, selling from the draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds. He is the third foal from the More Than Ready (USA) mare Juliet’s Princess (USA), which makes this gelding a well-related half-brother to the excellent G1 Surround S.-winning filly Forbidden Love (All Too Hard), who is now a three-time stakes winner and going strong.
Juliet’s Princess has a yearling by Epaulette on the way through this season, with Royal Fox being her last foal through a sale ring.
Royal Fox as a yearling
Pakenham, Race 4, 7.15pm AEDT, 9Mile Fresh Mdn, $35,000, 1400m
The Sun Stud-owned and -bred filly Bay Of Naples (Redoute’s Choice) is one of two debutantes in this race and, trained at Lindsay Park by Ben and JD Hayes, the 3-year-old filly is facing experienced opposition in this race. Nevertheless, she was second in a September jump-out at Bendigo when, alongside the winner, she left the rest of the field far behind.
Bay Of Naples has Daniel Stackhouse aboard, and she has a tidy pull in the weights in this race, lumping just 56kg to the top weight’s 59.5kg. She has drawn midfield in barrier seven.
This filly emerges as one of the best-bred in this Pakenham field, by Redoute’s Choice and the fifth foal from the triple Group 1 winner Yosei (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Yosei won the AJC Sires’ Produce S. before the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield, and she wrapped up that run with the Tattersall’s Tiara in 2011.
Yosei was sold to Sun Stud for $580,000 from the draft of Morning Rise Stud at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2016, and she has produced eight foals to date, the latest being a Snitzel colt, while Sun Stud has a Trapeze Artist yearling colt on the way through.
Looking Back
It was a successful day for Looking Ahead followers with Cross Talk (NZ) (Keano {NZ}) a brilliant winner on his Australian debut at Hawkesbury.
Satin Love (Snitzel) ran a big race on debut in the G3 Ottawa S. at Flemington, finishing second, while Proost (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) didn't make an impression at Otaki.
