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’ll aim to give you something to follow.
Wednesday at Warwick Farm, we pay attention to a million-dollar colt that has done very little wrong in his two trials to date, plus a 3-year-old half-brother to a South Australian stakes winner, while at Sandown, we look at a lightly raced filly from the exceptional family of Tycoon Lil (Last Tycoon {Ire}).
Warwick Farm, Race 1, 2.20pm AEDT, The Agency Real Estate H., $50,000, 1000m
Man In The Mirror, 2-year-old colt (Not A Single Doubt x One More Honey {Onemorenomore})
The Annabel Neasham colt Man In The Mirror (Not A Single Doubt) has been a flashy trial horse in this, his first juvenile preparation. The 2-year-old won a 900-metre trial last week, and before that he was second in his maiden trial at Canterbury behind the smart colt Hell I Am (Hellbent).
In this race, he will carry the experience of Tommy Berry, who rode the colt in his last winning trial. They have an ideal draw in barrier two and, while it’s a very decent field, the colt is well in it.
Man In The Mirror as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Man In The Mirror was a high-profile purchase for his owners, the Fung family. He cost $1.8 million at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, consigned by Emirates Park Stud. The colt is the first foal from the G2 Sweet Embrace S. winner One More Honey and, if recent times are anything to go by, he could follow Group 1 winner Profondo (Deep Impact {Jpn}) as a very decent million-dollar colt to justify his price tag.
Warwick Farm, Race 2, 2.55pm AEDT, Vinery Plate, $50,000, 1300m
Pizarro, 3-year-old gelding (All Too Hard x Orvieto {Testa Rossa})
This John O’Shea gelding is lightly raced with only a pair of races behind him, and both have come this preparation. He was second on debut at Hawkesbury in mid-November, and second again in metro company at Canterbury Park earlier this month.
Pizarro was a $150,000 purchase for his trainer and Champion Thoroughbreds at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, sold by Vinery Stud. He is the second foal from the Testa Rossa mare Orvieto, which makes him a half-brother to the Listed SAJC Morphettville Guineas winner Bonvicini (Myboycharlie {Ire}).
Pizarro as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The gelding has drawn an ideal inside barrier for this race at Warwick Farm, and he will have the extra finesse of jockey James McDonald in his favour.
Sandown, Race 2, 4.14pm AEDT, Ladbroke It! Plate, $50,000, 1300m
Shalily, 3-year-old filly (Shalaa {Ire} x Lillyfield {Redoute’s Choice})
This 3-year-old filly for the Danny O’Brien yard comes from the very stout family of Champion racehorse Tycoon Lil (Last Tycoon {Ire}). Among the graduates of this page are stakes winners My Sister Lil (Snitzel) and her full sister Ygritte.
Shalily boasts a second dam in the Zabeel (NZ) mare Empress Lily, who was placed in the G1 VRC Oaks, G2 Edward Manifold S. and G2 AV Kewney S. This is a giving family that has continued to produce over time and, despite this, Shalily was a good buy for her trainer as a $40,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale purchase in 2020 from Stonehouse Thorougbreds.
Shalily as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
This filly is lightly raced with only one start behind her, a maiden at Werribee in early December when she was second. She has a good draw in barrier two for this race, and she will be ridden by Jamie Kah.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections were luckless in their respective races on Tuesday. At Geelong, both Good Life Diva (Capitalist) and Farhh Flung (Farhh {GB}) were unplaced, as was Packer (Written Tycoon) at Scone.
