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 look at a colt from Strawberry Hill Stud's flagship family, while at Sandown we pay attention to a filly from a half-sister to a triple Group 1 winner. Whipping them in is a juvenile at Ipswich from a very old Eureka Stud family.
Warwick Farm, Race 1, 2.20pm AEDT, XXXX Plate, $50,000, 1300m
Williamsburg, 2-year-old colt (Snitzel x Fenway {High Chaparral {Ire}})
This unraced colt is an impeccably bred youngster for the Fung family, a son of the G1 Vinery Stud S. winner Fenway who also won the G2 WH Stocks S. during her career. Fenway was bred by Strawberry Hill Stud from its flagship Denise’s Joy (Seventh Hussar {Fr}) family, with Fenway being a daughter of the Joie Denise (Danehill {USA}) broodmare Deedra (Zabeel {NZ}).
There are so many stakes winners in this family tree that it’s hard to keep up, and this colt justified his pedigree with a suitable price tag. Williamsburg was purchased by Tony Fung Investments at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $470,000, sold by Arrowfield Stud.
Williamsburg as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
This colt races for the first time in this event, and his recent trials resulted in a fifth on debut in mid-January and a much closer 0.9l third to Metallicity (Zoustar) last time out. He is trained by the Gerald Ryan-Sterling Alexiou partnership and he’ll have Kerrin McEvoy from barrier two.
Sandown, Race 3, 4.50pm AEDT, Ladbrokes Easy Form H., $50,000, 1600m
Matron Bullwinkel, 3-year-old filly (So You Think {NZ} x Erika {Blackfriars})
This 3-year-old filly has two runs behind her, a first on debut at Cranbourne in early January and a second last time out at this track and distance. Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, she’s the least experienced in this field but probably the most consistent.
Matron Bullwinkel as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
As pedigrees go, Matron Bullwinkel is stoutly bred. Her dam was a city winner and she’s a half-sister to the triple Group 1 winner Moment Of Change (Barely A Moment). This is a strong Western Australia family that can boast the western stakes-winners Mr Diagnosis (Scenic {Ire}) and Spirit Lady (Dauberval {USA}).
Matron Bullwinkel is a 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale graduate, sold by Tyreel Stud to Ciaron Maher Racing for $180,000. She will jump from the inside barrier in this race with jockey Jye McNeil.
Ipswich, Race 1, 2pm AEDT (1pm local), TAB Venue Mode QTIS 2YO Mdn Plate, $37,000, 1200m
Toba, 2-year-old gelding (Headwater x Pearls For Me {Red Dazzler})
Unraced 2-year-old Toba competes in the colours of Eureka Stud where he was bred and, as a yearling, he was passed in at the 2021 Inglis Classic Sale and retained to race.
Toba as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Toba is the second foal from the Red Dazzler mare Pearls For Me, who was a winner over a mile and is a half-sister to the G2 Queensland Guineas winner Express Air (Piccolo {GB}). This is a very old Eureka family that boasts the Listed Doomben Slipper S. winner Diamondsondinside (Iglesia) through the broodmare Precious Pearl, the latter by the important Eureka stallion Semipalatinsk (USA). Precious Pearl was also the dam of Miss Argyle (Iglesia), who produced three stakes winners, most notably the G3 Concorde S. winner and now sire Ardrossan.
Toba is trained at Toowoomba by the Rex Lipp-Nicholas Hahn partnership, and he’ll have jockey Samantha Collett in this race from a handy draw in barrier two.
Looking Back
Our Tuesday selections for Looking Ahead resulted in a win for Dickensian (Tavistock {NZ}) at Ballarat and a third for Demon Darb (Pierro) at the same meeting. At Hawkesbury, Diva Da Vinci (So You Think {NZ}) was scratched.
