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 Hawkesbury, we look at a half-brother to the brilliant, four-time Group 2-winning Dame Giselle (I Am Invincible), meanwhile, at Geelong, we look at a well-bred filly whose dam has two very notable siblings.
Hawkesbury, Race 1, 12.40pm AEST, The Great Northern Mdn, $39,796, 1100m
Ballet Pride, 3-year-old gelding (Pride Of Dubai x Ballet Society {NZ} {Stravinsky {USA}})
This unraced gelding is an interesting package. He is a half-brother to the brilliant filly Dame Giselle, whose race wins include no less than four Group 2s, including a near clean-sweep of the Princess Series in 2020 with the Tea Rose S., Furious S. and Silver Shadow S. He is also a half-brother to the Group-placed The Fairy’s Kiss (Elusive Quality {USA}), the dam of Listed winner Steal My Kisses (I Am Invincible).
Ballet Pride was consigned to the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Sledmere Stud, and initially passed in but then sold to Snowden Racing for $100,000. He is trained by the Snowden team at Randwick and races in the China Horse Club colours.
Ballet Pride as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The 3-year-old gelding has been very well-trialled to date. Since March he has appeared in five trials, the best of which resulted in a second place at Canterbury earlier this month. He comes into this debut with jockey Sam Clipperton and barrier nine.
Geelong, Race 5, 2.30pm AEST, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Mdn, $37,500, 1147m
Esseffninety, 3-year-old filly (I Am Invincible x Sunday Chill {Flying Spur})
This filly has plenty going on in her pedigree to attract attention in this debut. Bred by Rifa Mustang, her dam is a half-sister to both Oohood (I Am Invincible), a winner of the G1 Flight S., and Breakfast In Bed (Hussonet {USA}), the dam of no less than King’s Legacy. This is the same family as Not A Single Doubt through the third dam on this page, the Rory’s Jester mare Singles Bar, who herself was a half-sister to Snippets.
Esseffninety was consigned by Sledmere Stud to the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where she was bought for $460,000 by Kennewell Racing and Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA).
Esseffninety as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The unraced filly is trained by Lloyd Kennewell at Cranbourne and she’s had just a single official trial to date. That was earlier this month when she was fifth, and she will have jockey Zac Spain in this debut from barrier 12.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Wednesday went well. At Rosehill Gardens, Iron Man (Exosphere) was second and Call Di (Frankel {GB}) was unplaced. At Cranbourne, Climbing Star (NZ) (Zoustar) was a winner.
