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.
On Friday, a Sacred Falls (NZ) gelding debuts at Terang, while a couple of 3-year-olds by Capitalist take our attention at both Ipswich and Moonee Valley.
Terang, Race 3, 2.15pm AEDT, Terang Landscaping 3YO Mdn, $25,000, 1200m
Skinny Dip (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (Sacred Falls {NZ} x Savodara {NZ} {Savabeel})
The Waikato Stud cross of Sacred Falls (NZ) with Savabeel mares has already produced 11 winners to date, among them the $2 million The Invitation winner Icebath (NZ) and her stakes-winning brother Courier Wonder (NZ). Skinny Dip (NZ) carries the same cross and sports the Waikato Stud colours on debut here for Daniel Bowman.
He was retained by Waikato after being withdrawn from the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka. His dam, Savodara (NZ) is a three-quarter sister to Group 3 winner Bhandara (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and a half-sister to both Group 1 winner Sharvasti (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Group 3 winner Shastri (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}).
His recent St Arnaud jump-out didn't give too much of a guide as to his prospects here as he was shuffled back near last after finding trouble. He came through along the inside in the straight but that was not the best ground.
Skinny Dip (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Ipswich, Race 3, 3.01pm AEDT (2.01pm local), Ipswich Events & Entertainment Centre Mdn, $27,000, 1350m
Capital Gamble, 3-year-old filly (Capitalist x Gamba {Elusive Quality {USA}})
The Kacy Fogden-trained Capital Gamble has already had a couple of starts and after finishing second on debut at Murwillumbah, was only 1.5l away when fifth at Ballina last time out. You would expect her to improve at her third start.
She was purchased out of the B2B Thoroughbreds draft for $120,000 at the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale by Fogden's husband, Julian Blaxland of Blue Sky Bloodstock (FBAA).
Her dam, Gamba (Elusive Quality {USA}), has produced two winners and is a half-sister to the multiple Group 1-winning mare Cosmic Endeavour (Northern Meteor). Their dam, Crevette (Danehill {USA}), is a stakes-winning sister to Group 1 winner Fairy King Prawn (Danehill {USA}), and half-sister to G1 Salinger S. winner Easy Rocking (Barathea {Ire}).
Capital Gamble as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Moonee Valley, Race 6, 8.45pm AEDT, Ladbroke It! H., $60,000, 1000m
Hurtle, 3-year-old gelding (Capitalist x Murtle Turtle {Murtajill})
Hurtle, trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, debuted with a 5.5l win at Ballarat back in May and while he was unable to follow that up when well-supported at Sandown at his subsequent start, he has been spelled since and resumes as a 3-year-old here. He looked very sharp winning a recent Ballarat jump-out.
He was sourced out of the Cornerstone Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale where McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $120,000 for him. Hurtle is out of the stakes-performed mare Murtle Turtle (Murtajill) who is a half-sister to a stakes placegetter in Singapore in Excavator (Happy Giggle).
Hurtle as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Looking Back
Pizarro (All Too Hard) ran an excellent second for Looking Ahead followers at Hawkesbury, while Super Twenty Three (I Am Invincible) (ninth) and Oasis Gold (Snitzel) (seventh) failed to figure in the finish of their races.
