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 kick off Saturday's selections looking to a son of Maurice (Jpn) racing at Rosehill before heading south to Flemington with the hopes a Dundeel (NZ) mare can upset the fabulous Yonce (NZ) (Proisir) and then back to Rosehill and a returning Frankel (GB) mare.
Rosehill, Race 2, 12.45pm AEDT, Irresistible Pools Darby Munro S., $140,000, 1200m
Mazu, 3-year-old gelding (Maurice {Jpn} x Chatelaine {Flying Spur})
A winner at half of his eight starts and jumping from barrier one here with Sam Clipperton riding, he is doing everything right at the moment for the Snowden stable and is as good as anything in a classy field.
Mazu as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Mazu was a $180,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale buy for Triple Crown Syndications. He has eight half-siblings, all to race with five being winners, the most impressive being Headway (Charge Forward), who was a Group 1 winner. He is looking for his fourth consecutive win.
Flemington, Race 3, 1.40pm AEDT, The GH Mumm Mystic Journey, $200,000, 2000m
Miss Five Hundred, 6-year-old mare (Dundeel {NZ} x Cinque Cento {Nothin’ Leica Dane})
It certainly won’t be an easy task to overcome the undefeated Yonce but the Dundeel mare has herself strung two together for Peter Gelagotis and is a handy staying mare with her wins impressive.
Miss Five Hundred | Image courtesy of Inglis
She is back in trip which may test her for speed in the run in a small but talented field headlined by red-hot favourite Yonce.
Cinque Cento was a Group 1 winner and all but one of her foals to race has scored a win.
Rosehill, Race 10, 5.55pm AEDT, TAB Birthday Card S., $160,000, 1200m
Steinem (GB), 4-year-old mare (Frankel {GB} x Thai Noon {Ire} {Dansili {GB}})
Returning to the track after a last-start Group 3 win in November, Steinem (GB) for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, has the best in the business aboard her in James McDonald for this one.
Steinem as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
She is the first foal from the Dansili (GB) mare Thai Noon (Ire) and has a Group 2 placing to her name, just falling short of Colette (Hallowed Crown) in the Tristarc S. She is from the same family as Champion filly in France, Miss Tahiti (Ire) (Tirol {Ire}).
