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 on Sunday with a pair of interesting first-starters at Bendigo, then switch to Bathurst, where a $500,000 yearling purchase looks close to a maiden win.
Bendigo, Race 1, 1pm AEST, BRB Electrical 2YO Mdn Plate, $35,000, 1400m
Gong Him Red, 2-year-old colt (Churchill {Ire} x Scarlet Moretta {Fastnet Rock})
Danny O’Brien launches the racing career of Gong Him Red in this 1400-metre maiden race, where the 2-year-old colt will be ridden by Linda Meech from gate three.
Gong Him Red was bred by the Country Wide Breeding Syndicate and was a member of Mill Park Stud’s draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where Danny O’Brien Racing bought him for $170,000.
Gong Him Red as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
A half-brother to the stakes winner Cerberus (Dundeel {NZ}), Gong Him Red is by the Classic-winning Coolmore stallion Churchill (Ire), whose first Australian 2-year-old crop includes the stylish Chris Waller-trained winners Conqueror and Robusto.
Further down the pedigree page, this high-class family has produced the likes of Hong Kong Vase winner Vallee Enchantee (Ire) (Peintre Celebre {USA}) and more than a dozen other stakes winners.
Bendigo, Race 2, 1.35pm AEST, Carlton Draught 3YO Mdn Plate, $35,000, 1400m
New Jersey (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (Vadamos {Fr} x Surooh {USA} {Pivotal {GB}})
This marks the first start for New Jersey (NZ), who was bought by Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Ballymore Stables for NZ$330,000 from Valachi Downs’ draft at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
New Jersey is by Vadamos (Fr), who heads New Zealand’s second-season sires' standings this season through the likes of Group 2 winner and Group 1 placegetter La Crique (NZ) and fellow stakes winners Art De Triomphe (NZ) and Grace’s Secret (NZ).
New Jersey (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
The dam of New Jersey is the unraced Surooh (USA), whose dam Alabaq (USA) (Riverman {USA}) won at Group 3 level in Italy and has been a quality producer of six individual winners. She is also the grandam of G3 Jebel Ali Mile winner Sefri (USA) (Jazil {USA}).
New Jersey’s third dam is the outstanding Salsabil (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}), who won the G1 Epsom Oaks, 1000 Guineas, Irish Derby, Prix Vermeille and Prix Marcel Boussac and has been dam or grandam of half a dozen black-type performers.
Bathurst, Race 3, 1.56pm AEST, Watermart Mdn H., $24,000, 1400m
Texerro, 3-year-old gelding (Pierro x Breannon {Charge Forward})
From two starts to date, Texerro has finished second and fourth at Canberra over 1000 and 1200 metres respectively. The step up to 1400 metres looks likely to suit the Richard Litt-trained gelding, who has drawn two and will be ridden by Jay Ford.
Texerro was a $500,000 purchase by Aquis Farm from Segenhoe Stud’s draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Texerro as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Texerro is by Pierro out of a winning half-sister to Najoom (Northern Meteor), who won the G3 Fred Best Classic and Hawkesbury Guineas and is the dam of the highly talented Listed winner Najmaty (I Am Invincible). This is also the same family as Group 1 stars Criterion (NZ), Comin’ Through (Fastnet Rock) and sire Bull Point.
Looking Back
Saturday was a quiet day for our selections, with scratchings taking us down to a single runner. Lalaguna (I Am Invincible) finished sixth in the G3 Breeders’ S. at Morphettville.
