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 Wednesday, we look at a Sale-topping Snitzel colt at Warwick Farm, plus a debut gelding that’s closely related to coolmore stallion The Gurkha (Ire). At Eagle Farm, we pay attention to a second-start colt from the family of Fighting Sun.
Warwick Farm, Race 1, 1.45pm AEDT, Ranvet Plate, $50,000, 1100m
Basquiat, 2-year-old colt (Snitzel x Bonny O’Reilly {NZ} {O’Reilly {NZ}})
There will be very few colts as well-bred as this one going around on Wednesday. Basquiat was the Sale-topper at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, sold to Tom Magnier from Widden Stud for $1.9 million.
He is the first foal from the O’Reilly (NZ) mare Bonny O’Reilly (NZ), who was a Listed winner and third in the G2 Dane Ripper S. Bonny O’Reilly is a three-quarter sister to the Group 2 winner Rare Insight (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) and Listed winner Escadaire (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), while she’s a half-sister to the Listed and dual Group-placed Pretty To Sea (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).
Basquiat as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Basquiat will debut in this race for Chris Waller, who knows a thing or two about placing these high-priced juveniles. The colt has been third in two trials this preparation, and he’ll have Kerrin McEvoy aboard.
Sandown-Hillside, Race 1, 2.30pm AEDT, Ladbroke It! Plate, $50,000, 1400m
Hollywood Park (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (American Pharoah {USA} x Fleece {GB} {Daylami {Ire}})
This unraced gelding is trained by Peter Moody at Pakenham, and his sole trial appearance was in October last year when second at Moe. He will have jockey Blaike McDougall for his debut race from barrier three.
Moody picked up Hollywood Park (NZ) at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale. The son of American Pharoah (USA) was consigned by Valachi Downs, and he sold to his trainer for NZ$210,000.
Hollywood Park (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Hollywood Park boasts an interesting and robust international pedigree. His dam Fleece (GB) is a half-sister to Chintz (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who is the dam of Ballydoyle’s very smart colt and now Coolmore sire The Gurkha. Moody’s gelding is also a half-brother to the stakes winner Savile Row (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), who was a Group 1 runner-up on three occasions.
Eagle Farm, Race 1, 2.38pm AEDT (1.38pm local), Mount Franklin QTIS 2YO C&G Mdn, $37,000, 1200m
Hang Five, 2-year-old colt (Astern x Beach Babe {Falvelon})
This colt for local co-trainers Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted has done nothing wrong this preparation, with two trial wins on either side of a first-up second in his debut race at Doomben on February 16. In that event, he was second to his stablemate Prince Shalaa (Shalaa {Ire}).
Hang Five is the second surviving foal from his dam, Beach Babe. She was a four-time winner, but she is a half-sister to the very useful mare Irish Darling (Ivory’s Irish), who won the G1 SAJC Australasian Oaks and G2 South Australian Oaks, and was later the dam of the stakes-winning Northern Meteor sire Fighting Sun.
Hang Five as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Hang Five was sold to Proven Thoroughbreds and O’Dea Hoysted Racing for $45,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling . He was consigned by Steve Morley’s Glenlogan Park.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Tuesday were unlucky. At Geelong, Mondo (All Too Hard) was fourth and In My Feelings (Manhattan Rain) was unplaced. At Newcastle, Little Lanai (Charge Forward) was also fourth.
