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.
The first 2-year-old races of the 2022/23 season are set to get underway at Randwick and Flemington on Saturday and naturally we are looking no further than those three 2-year-old stakes races for our selections.
First-up is a seven-figure son of Exceed And Excel, who will look to get off the mark in the G3 Breeders’ Plate, while Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott will saddle Platinum Jubilee (I Am Invincible) in the G3 Gimcrack S. Our final pick is Charm Stone (Zoustar), who takes her chance in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. at Flemington.
Randwick, Race 1, 11.50am AEST, G3 Breeders’ Plate, $200,000, 1000m
Mach Ten, 2-year-old colt (Exceed And Excel x Devious Rumor {USA} {Street Boss {USA}})
The Michael Freedman-trained Mach Ten will attempt to make the perfect start to his career when he takes aim at the G3 Breeders’ Plate at Randwick on Saturday. The colt will be ridden by Tommy Berry from barrier two.
Purchased by James Harron’s Colt Partnership at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of his breeders Fernrigg Farm for $1.2 million, making him the most expensive yearling by Exceed And Excel to sell in 2022.
Mach Ten as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Mach Ten - who warmed up for this first assignment with a Randwick trial victory - is out of US Listed scorer Devious Rumour (USA), who was purchased by Fernrigg Farm for $220,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2019.
The colt’s third dam is the unraced mare Nezzi (USA) (Meadowlake {USA}) and she produced US Listed winner Coco Belle (USA) (Storm Boot {USA}), dam of fellow stakes winner Cofactor (USA) (The Factor {USA}).
Randwick, Race 2, 12.25pm AEST, G3 Gimcrack S., $200,000, 1000m
Platinum Jubilee, 2-year-old filly (Zoustar x Miss Debutante {Fastnet Rock})
Co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have an aptitude for training 2-year-olds, but surprisingly they have never tasted glory in the G3 Gimcrack S. and this year they will be hoping this daughter of Widden Stud’s Zoustar can break their duck in the race.
Purchased by her trainers and Bruce Slade’s Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $600,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the filly is out of Listed winner Miss Debutante, meaning she is a half-sister to dual juvenile Group 3 winner Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible), who opened her account as a 3-year-old when she landed the G3 Scarborough S. last Friday.
Platinum Jubilee as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Miss Debutante herself a daughter of G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf S. winner More Than Real (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}).
More Than Real was relocated to Australia after she was purchased by James Bester for US$675,000 (AU$1,025,500) at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale.
Platinum Jubilee will jump from barrier nine with Regan Bayliss booked to take the ride.
Flemington, Race 1, 12.40pm AEST, Listed Maribyrnong Trial S., $175,000, 1000m
Charm Stone, 2-year-old filly (I Am Invincible x Najoom {Northern Meteor})
Co-trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr couldn’t be in any better form and they will be looking to keep this purple patch in full swing when they saddle up Charm Stone in Saturday’s Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. at Flemington.
Bred by Emirates Park, this filly’s dam Najoom was purchased by Nasser Lootah's operation for $225,000 at the 2013 edition of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Charm Stone as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
A winner of the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas and G3 Fred Best Classic herself, the daughter of Northern Meteor is already the dam of Listed-winner and Group 3-placed Najmaty (I Am Invincible) and the dual winner Najmah (Snitzel).
Charm Stone herself was snapped up by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) for $1.55 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Emirates Park draft earlier this year and she will break from barrier six with Jamie Kah in the plate.
Looking Back
A good day for Looking Ahead with two of selections coming in. The first winner was Arctic Fairy (Zoustar), who saluted the judge at Ballarat-Synthetic and that was followed-up when Foxy Cleopatra (American Pharoah {USA}) shed her maiden status at Moonee Valley, while the final runner, Our Empress Zoe (Fastnet Rock), finished unplaced at the Melbourne venue.
