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.
On Saturday, a couple of superbly related 2-year-old colts, one by Written Tycoon and the other by Zoustar, make their respective debuts at Flemington and Rosehill, while a Hinchinbrook mare looks poised to break her maiden in a $250,000 race on the Gold Coast.
Flemington, Race 1, 12.33pm AEDT, Resimax Group Rapid Racing, Friday 21 January, $130,000, 1100m
Maximillius, 2-year-old colt (Written Tycoon x Scandiva {Fastnet Rock})
This Written Tycoon colt, bred by Robert Crabtree from a famous family, carries a huge boom on him at his debut. He won a recent Cranbourne jump-out in the manner of a horse of some promise and Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are keen to target the G1 Blue Diamond S. next month with him.
He is out of the Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Scandiva, who has produced two winners already and is the half-sister to Group 1 winner and producer Magnus as well as stakes winners Wilander (Exceed And Excel) and Arctic Flight (Flying Spur). Another of her half-sisters is the blue hen Helsinge (Desert Sun {GB}), the dam of unbeaten Champion Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) and Vinery Stud stallion All Too Hard, and grandam of the dual Group 1-winning son of Written Tycoon and Vinery stallion Ole Kirk.
Rosehill, Race 2, 12.55pm AEDT, Davali H., $130,000, 1100m
Metallicity, 2-year-old colt (Zoustar x Captivating Claire {NZ} (O'Reilly {NZ})
In what looks a very competitive race of promising juveniles, Peter and Paul Snowden present a colt who has done everything that could have been asked of him through the trials, winning both of his hit-outs with considerable style from off the pace. He looks a colt who can make quick progress this campaign.
He was a $340,000 purchase for China Horse Club and Newgate Bloodstock at the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Segenhoe Stud. His dam Captivating Claire, who died recently, has produced the G3 Gimcrack S. winner Catch Me (I Am Invincible). That family goes back to the legendary Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) through this colt's Group 1-winning third dam Marquise (NZ) (Gold And Ivory {USA}).
Metallicity as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Gold Coast, Race 1, 12.15 pm local (1.15pm AEDT), Magic Millions Mdn Plate, $250,000, 1200m
Warmth, 4-year-old mare (Hinchinbrook x Ultimate Fever (Gold Fever))
Warmth has been placed in her three runs to date for Peter and Paul Snowden, beaten less than 1l on all three occasions and she has been set for this race. She has trialled three times ahead of her first-up run here and was a good winner when tracking the speed and powering away at Rosehill at her latest.
She carries the colours of Stonestreet Stables, who along with Newgate Bloodstock, parted with $525,000 for her when she was offered by Luskin Park at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Her dam Ultimate Fever was a stakes winner and has proven a very useful producer as the dam of stakes winners Sprightly Lass (Snitzel) and Le Cordon Bleu (Snitzel) as well as stakes-placed Stratosphere, who stands at Grenville Stud in Tasmania.
Warmth as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Looking Back
It was a competitive showing from our Looking Ahead representatives on Friday with Gunshot Glitter (Spirit Of Boom) finishing third and Blueskin (Snitzel) running fourth. Our other selection, Arktika (Snitzel), was scratched.
