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 Wyong, we pay attention to a filly from a half-sister to Samantha Miss (Redoute’s Choice), and at Pakenham, a debuting colt who is a full brother to the Group 1 winner turned sire Inference. At Toowoomba, we give some love to an unraced filly whose dam is well-related to a stack of stakes winners.
Wyong, Race 3, 2.10pm AEST, De Bortoli 2YO Mdn H., $35,000, 1000m
Lady Chartwell, 2-year-old filly (Churchill {Ire} x Lady Iveagh {More Than Ready {USA}})
This filly is from the More Than Ready (USA) mare Lady Iveagh, who is a half-sister to the Australian Champion race mare Samantha Miss. In turn, Samantha Miss is the dam of the Frankel (GB) stakes winner Miss Fabulass, so there is plenty to like about this page.
Lady Chartwell as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Lady Chartwell was consigned to the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Coolmore Stud, and she sold for $150,000 to Lees Racing and Tasman Bloodstock. She is raced by a consortium that includes Mystery Downs, in whose colours she competes, and her trainer, Kris Lees.
Lady Chartwell has had just one start when she was second at Scone in early December. That was on a Heavy 9, so she’ll be familiar with the wet track expected in this race. She has drawn barrier seven with apprentice rider Dylan Gibbons.
Pakenham, Race 4, 7.15pm AEST, John Duff & Co Mdn, $35,000, 1400m
Illation, 3-year-old colt (So You Think {NZ} x Pontiana {Redoute’s Choice})
This unraced colt comes into his debut with a very stout pedigree behind him. He is a full brother to the G1 Randwick Guineas winner Inference, and a half-brother to the dual Group 2 winner Dragon Leap (Pierro). The second dam on this page is Liberty Rose (Royal Academy {USA}), who was a stakes winner before foaling Grand Jardin (Redoute’s Choice), the latter a stakes-winning full brother to this colt’s dam.
Illation as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Illation was bred by Greg Inhgam’s GPI Racing and put into the Coolmore draft at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. He was passed in with a reserve of $450,000, and then retained to race by GPI Racing.
The colt is trained at Cranbourne by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, and his only previous outing was an unplaced trial effort in August last year. Since then, he’s been fourth and second in respective Cranbourne jump-outs, and he’ll have Mark Zahra in this from barrier one.
Pakenham, Race 2, 6.15pm AEST, Momentum Gaming Fillies and Mares, $35,000, 1200m
Word On The Street, 3-year-old filly (Street Boss {USA} x Edwina Georgie {Testa Rossa})
Co-trainer Mick Price and Pendant Equine picked this filly out of the Three Bridges Thoroughbreds draft at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. She is a sister to the Listed-winning and Group-placed Ploverset with their dam, Edwina Georgie a winner at her only start. Group 3 winner Niccanova (Nicconi) and Group 1 winner Southern Lord (Stratum) feature on the page.
Word On The Street as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
She has built up through a trio of recent jump-outs improving each time she stepped out. She boxed on quite well for fourth in her most recent appearance and she looks ready to make some sort of impression at her first start with Zac Spain in the saddle.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections for Wednesday didn't fare well. At Hawkesbury, Ishani (I Am Invincible) and Burgunder (Snitzel) were both fourth in their respective races. At Doomben, Rising Prophet (Capitalist) was unplaced.
