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.
Thursday at Wagga, we look at a filly closely related to a Hong Kong champion, while at Kilmore we pay attention to a debuting filly with plenty of stakes-form on her page. At Pakenham’s night meeting, we look at a Larneuk Stud gelding from the family of a triple Group 1 winner.
Wagga, Race 1, 1.15pm AEDT, Riverina Kids Early Learning Centre 2YO Mdn, $24,000, 1000m
Miss Wallflower, 2-year-old filly (Headwater x Walklikeanegyptian {Encosta De Lago})
Miss Wallflower will make her debut in this race after a very recent third-placed trial last week at Albury. She is trained at Wangaratta by Andrew Dale and will have Jordan Mallyon on her back from barrier two, and she’ll be in good company. The majority of this small field are racing for the first time.
This filly was a $15,000 yearling purchase for her trainer at last year’s Inglis Classic Sale. She sold in the Highway Session from the draft of Vinery Stud.
Miss Wallflower is from a half-sister to the stakes winner Egyptian Ibis (NZ) (Straight Strike {USA}), who was the dam of the Hong Kong Champion Grand Delight (Hurricane Sky). The latter raced as Desert Eagle in Australia, winning three stakes races (including the G1 VRC Emirates S.) before his Hong Kong career.
Miss Wallflower as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Kilmore, Race 1, 1.30pm AEDT, Top Tote Plus Mdn, $25,000, 1107m
La Sarthe, 3-year-old filly (Sebring x Princess Peggy {Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}})
Three-year-old La Sarthe was bred by Yulong Investments and retained to race. She had two short preparations with trainer Matt Laurie before being sold through the 2021 Inglis Digital May (Early) Online Sale. She fetched $3000 when bought by Paul Dunn and she’s been in the stable of trainer Belinda Dunn ever since.
La Sarthe didn’t show much form in Laurie’s care, but she was on-song in a mid-January trial at Tatura recently. The 3-year-old filly was first, so she heads into her debut race with form behind her.
La Sarthe is out of a half-sister to Infinite Grace (Prince Of Birds {USA}), and Infinite Grace was twice a winner of the G2 Tristarc S. This family boasts plenty of stakes winners, including The Mitigator (Master Of Design) and his half-sister Fontein Ruby (Turffontein), plus Fields Of Omagh (Rubiton).
Sebring
Pakenham, Race 2, 6.15pm AEDT, John Duff & Co 4YO+ Mdn, $35,000, 1200m
O’Lucky, 4-year-old gelding (O’Lonhro x Perfect Luck {Danehill {USA}})
This interesting gelding was bred by Larneuk Stud and he races in the Larneuk colours. To date he has had two starts for a second and a third at Terang and Pakenham respectively. He’s had a long layoff coming into this event (almost a year) but he’s got previous class and a good page.
O’Lucky is from a daughter of Coup De Chance (Coup De Feu {GB}), making this gelding's dam a half-sister to three stakes winners. They include the triple Group 1 winner Gold Ace (Dieu D’Or), plus the Group 1 winner Final Card, who also won the G2 Theo Marks S. This is a stout family.
O’Lucky is trained at Cranbourne by Greg Eurell and he’ll have jockey Damian Lane from barrier five in this race.
O'Lonhro | Standing at Larneuk Stud
Looking Back
Our Wednesday selections for Looking Ahead performed with merit. Williamsburg (Snitzel) was second at Warwick Farm, while Matron Bullwinkel (So You Think {NZ}) also finished runner-up at Sandown. At Ipswich, Toba (Headwater) finished fourth.
