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 Thursday at Wagga, we’ve got a half-brother to the Group 3 winner Diddums (Snitzel), while at Bendigo we look at two horses. The first is a Godolphin filly whose half-brother is a dual Listed winner, and the second is a sale-topping colt by Extreme Choice.
Wagga, Race 1, 12.55pm AEST, Aggies Day 17th September Showcase 3YO Mdn, $30,000, 1200m
Seventies Hit, 3-year-old colt (Your Song x Raheights {Rahy {USA}})
This colt was bred by Torryburn Stud from the Rahy (USA) mare Raheights, who is a half-sister to the stakes winners Moulin Lady (Reset) and Bannock (Bertolini {USA}). As such, he is a half-brother to the G3 PJ Bell S. winner Diddums.
Seventies Hit was consigned by Torryburn to the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, where he sold for $20,000 to buyer Tom Bourke. He was later on-sold through the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, consigned by Vincent and Field Bloodstock and sold to @syndicationbloodstock for $55,000.
Seventies Hit as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Seventies Hit is trained at Kembla Grange by Paul Murray and he’s had just a barrier trial to date. He was second in that on July 30, and he will have Winona Costin in this debut from barrier three.
Bendigo, Race 1, 12.30pm AEST, Bendigo MG Fillies' and Mares’ Mdn, $37,500, 1300m
Planned, 3-year-old filly (Kermadec {NZ} x Aforethought {Encosta De Lago})
This unraced filly is trained by James Cummings at Flemington and she’s had extensive jump-outs to date. She’s appeared in five since June, the latest of which resulted in a fourth on August 8. In this debut, she will have jockey Jordan Childs and they’ve got a good gate with barrier two.
Planned is a daughter of the Encosta De Lago mare Aforethought, making her a half-sister to the dual Listed ATC Cup winner Malice (Teofilo {Ire}). The mare herself is a daughter of Money Begets Money (Bite The Bullet {USA}), making her a half-sister to the Listed winner Moqueen (Uncle Mo {USA}).
Kermadec (NZ) | Standing at Darley
This is the family of the very good producer Gainesville (Can) (Afleet {Can}), the dam of the Group 3 winner Mica’s Pride (Bite The Bullet {USA}). In turn, Mica’s Pride proved a brilliant broodmare, foaling four stakes winners that included Criterion (NZ), Comin' Through (Fastnet Rock), Silently (Anabaa {USA}) and Varenna Miss (Redoute’s Choice).
Bendigo, Race 3, 1.30pm AEST, bet365 Protest Promise 3YO Mdn, $37,500, 1000m
Shipstern, 3-year-old colt (Extreme Choice x Arnault {Fastnet Rock})
This unraced colt is the first foal from the Fastnet Rock mare Arnault, who is a half-sister to the stakes winner Yesterday’s Songs (Henrythenavigator {USA}) and Rahveel (Zabeel {NZ}), the latter second in the G2 Wakeful S. and G3 Auraria S.
Shipstern was consigned by Yarran Thoroughbreds to the 2021 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, selling for $130,000 to A List Stud. He was then on-sold through the 2021 Magic Millions 2YOs In Training Sale to Baystone Farm, fetching a sale-topping return of $350,000 as the only Extreme Choice in the catalogue.
Shipstern as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Shipstern is raced in the colours of Rosemont Stud and trained at Flemington by Leon and Troy Corstens. He has no trials or jump-outs on record, and he has drawn barrier 10 in this debut with jockey Billy Egan.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Wednesday went only fairly. While at Randwick-Kensington, Scorch (Impending) was a winner, Summons (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) was unplaced at the same meeting and, at Sandown, Garza Blanca (I Am Invincible) was also unplaced.
