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.
Friday at Wagga, we pay attention to a debutante from the family of a prominent Caulfield winner, plus a lightly raced filly with good recent form, and at Ipswich we look at a relative of the four-time stakes winner Shiva’s Revenge (NZ) (Nassipour {USA}).
Wagga, Race 6, 4pm AEDT, 100 Club 2022 Available Now Mdn H., $24,000, 1000m
Al Murree, 5-year-old mare (Al Maher x Report {Canny Lad})
This 5-year-old mare is with local trainer Chris Heywood and she is unraced, opening her account as recently as December 6 when second in a trial over this course and distance. She will be ridden in her maiden appearance by Nick Heywood from barrier nine in what looks a bumper field.
Al Murree was a homebred for her connections, the first foal from the Newhaven Park-bred mare Report (Canny Lad). This is the direct family of the Woodman (USA) mare Bounce, who was the dam of three-time stakes winner Eclair Choice (California Dane), the latter counting among his wins the G2 Caulfield Sprint and G2 Linlithgow S.
Wagga, Race 8, 5.20pm AEDT, Thomas Blamey Tavern Class 2 H., $24,000, 1200m
Whenitrainsitpours, 3-year-old filly (Your Song x Dance Girl Dance {Made Of Gold {USA}})
Whenitrainsitpours is one of the more lightly raced options in this race but she has a decent record. Her two previous starts resulted in a second and a win on this track and over this distance. The filly won a trial in early December, so she emerges with excellent form.
She was the last foal from the Made Of Gold (USA) mare Dance Girl Dance. The filly was sold by Widden Stud for $30,000 at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, heading to Arlington Park Racing.
Whenitrainsitpours as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Dance Girl Dance is a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Hollowlea (Hidden Dragon), while her daughter and half-sister to Whenitrainsitpours, Flamenco Girl (Snitzel), is the dam of Marchena (Deep Field), who was third on debut in the G3 Ottawa S. two years ago.
Ipswich, Race 2, 1.50pm AEDT (12.50pm local), TAB Venue Mode Mdn H., $24,000, 1350m
Yukanuma, 3-year-old gelding (Real Impact {Jpn} x Sister Norma {Superior Sateen})
This gelding for Gold Coast trainer Les Kelly has had one start to his name that resulted in a third at Murwillumbah just a fortnight ago. That was on a Heavy 9 over a slightly shorter course.
Yukanuma was bred by Rangal Park and sold to Paul Levick for $23,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, consigned by Goodwood Farm.
Yukanuma as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The gelding is the fifth foal from his dam Sister Norma (Superior Sateen), who was a useful six-time winner during her metro career. She is a half-sister to the G2 winner Heaven’s Riches (Danerich) and, further along, this is the family of the excellent Shiva’s Revenge (NZ) (Nassipour {USA}), who won the G1 South Australian Derby, G2 Blamey S. and G3 VRC St Leger.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections for Thursday were luckless, with both our Gosford choices in My Turn Astern (Astern) and Twitch (I Am Invincible) scratching, while at Toowoomba, Alert State (Defcon) was third.
