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.
We start off on Sunday at Coonamble, where a well-related 2-year-old begins her career over 1100 metres. We then head to the Sunshine Coast, where a stylish trial winner debuts, then finish up with a blue-blooded debutant who is kicking off his career among Group 3 company in Canberra.
Coomable, Race 1, 12.15pm AEDT, Sydney Cricket & Sports Grounds Trust and Living Turf Boot Prelude, $30,000, 1100m
Aldona, 2-year-old filly (Zoustar x The Messina Nymph {Commands})
After a win and a placing from two trials last month, the Cody Morgan-trained Aldona looks like a filly to watch on debut at Coonamble on Sunday. She will be ridden by apprentice Casey Waddell and has drawn gate eight.
Bred by Widden Stud and Dodgy Investments, Aldona was offered in Widden’s draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She was a $325,000 purchase by Corumbene Stud.
She will be the third foal to race out of The Messina Nymph, whose previous two runners, Syracuse (Sebring) and Argonauts (Sebring), have won and placed respectively.
Aldona as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The Messina Nymph herself won six races including the Listed Alinghi S., WH Wylie H. and Manihi Classic. She also placed in the G3 RN Irwin S.
The Messina Nymph is a half-sister to Why Be (Success Express {USA}), who was Champion 3-Year-Old and Champion Older Male Sprinter in Singapore. He won 11 races including eight at black-type level.
Demand for progeny of The Messina Nymph has continued into 2022, with her Written By colt fetching $410,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January.
Sunshine Coast, Race 3, 2.30pm AEDT (1.30pm local), Mackay City Pet Barn QTIS 2YO H., $24,000, 1000m
Yiska (Smart Missile x Anevay {Exceed And Excel})
Lee Freedman unveils a well-related first-starter here in the form of Yiska, who scored a smart 1.5l win in a trial at the Gold Coast on February 22.
Yiska is raced by her breeder, Anthony Gow-Gates. She is out of Anevay, who herself won two races including the Listed Talindert S., along with a placing in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies). She is a half-sister to the Group 2 winner and sire Krupt.
Smart Missile | Standing at Twin Hills Stud
Anevay is the dam of two foals to race, who have racked up an impressive 12 victories between them. Akecheta (So You Think {NZ}) has won seven times over distances ranging from 1100 to 1600 metres, while Mix (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) has been a five-time sprint winner.
Canberra, Race 8, 5.01pm AEDT, G3 John McGrath Auto Group Black Opal S., $200,000, 1200m
Warby, 2-year-old colt (Hellbent x Speedboat {Commands})
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace are happy to throw Warby in at the deep end in Canberra on Sunday, taking on Group 3 company in the very first start of his career. The colt has had two trials, winning at Warwick Farm on February 14, and he will be ridden by Ben Allen from a wide gate.
Offered by Ashleigh Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Warby was a $300,000 purchase by Suman Hedge Bloodstock and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock.
Warby as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
He comes from the first crop of Hellbent and is out of the Commands mare Speedboat, who has been represented by two winners from two foals to race so far. That includes Warby’s top-class half-brother Captivant (Capitalist), who won the G1 Champagne S. as a 2-year-old and has placed in another five black-type races including the G1 Caulfield Guineas and ATC Sires’ Produce S.
Speedboat is also a half-sister to Listed winner Cross Current (Keltrice) and to Riptide (Exceed And Excel), who is the dam of the G1 New Zealand Derby winner Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).
Looking Back
Our Saturday selections, Blonde Venture (Capitalist) and Celestial Spirit (Zoustar), both finished outside the placings in strong 2-year-old races at Flemington and Rosehill respectively.
