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, we’ve got a pair of horses at Kembla Grange. The first is a gelding from a Group 1 winner in New Zealand, and the second is a gelding from the family of Guineas winner Inference. At Ballarat, we’ve got a Gilgai-bred runner from a New Zealand Filly of the Year.
Kembla Grange, Race 3, 2.25pm AEDT, Brad, Nev, Phil, Dwayne – Kembla 22 Mdn, $40,000, 1500m
Uptown Boy, 3-year-old gelding (Savabeel x Valley Girl {NZ} {Mastercraftsman {Ire}})
This unraced gelding is a son of the Kiwi Group 1 winner Valley Girl (NZ), a daughter of Mastercraftsman (Ire) that won the G1 Herbie Dyke S. and was second in the G1 Vinery Stud S. She was a smart racehorse and this gelding is her third foal. The second dam on this page is the G3 Cuddle S. winner Leigh Valley (NZ) (Bianconi {USA}).
Uptown Boy was consigned by Wentwood Grange in Cambridge to Book 1 of the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, where he sold for NZ$120,000 to a consortium that included Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Chris Rutten Bloodstock, First Light Racing and Paul Willetts Bloodstock.
Uptown Boy as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
The gelding is trained at Randwick by Waterhouse and Bott, and he’s had two trials to date. He was third at Gosford on August 29 and fourth on September 13 at home. He has jockey James Innes Jnr in this debut from barrier two.
Kembla Grange, Race 4, 3.05pm AEDT, Daniel Nickson 3YO Mdn, $40,000, 1000m
Bokeem, 3-year-old gelding (Rubick x Pantheress {Dubawi {Ire}})
Three-year-old Bokeem is from the Dubawi (Ire) mare Pantheress, who was a four-time winner but, more significantly, a daughter of Effortless (Al Maher), who was a half-sister to the dam of stakes-winning siblings Away Game (Snitzel) and Modern Wonder (Snitzel). Also on this line is the Listed-winning, Listed-placed Tantra (Royal Academy {USA}), while this is the family of G1 Randwick Guineas winner Inference through his dam, Liberty Rose (Royal Academy {USA}).
Bokeem was consigned by Fairview Park Stud to the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, and he sold to Matthew Smith Racing and John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) for $125,000.
Bokeem as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The gelding is trained by Smith at Warwick Farm and he’s had a stack of trials (five) so far. He’s improved each time, running first and second in his last two. He will have jockey Glyn Schofield in this race from barrier three.
Sportsbet-Ballarat, Race 1, 1.30pm AEDT, BTC Ladies Day – 20 October 3YO Fillies Mdn, $37,500, 1100m
The Unicorn, 3-year-old filly (Choisir x Costa Viva {Encosta De Lago})
This filly is the third foal from the broodmare Costa Viva, who was New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year in 2013/14 as a winner of the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas, along with a handful of Group placings. Costa Viva herself is a daughter of Vivacious Spirit (Bel Esprit), a winner of the G3 How Now S. and a three-quarter sister to the Listed Lough Neagh S. winner Audacious Spirit (Bel Esprit).
The Unicorn was bred by Gilgai Farm and consigned to the 2021 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. She was bought for $400,000 by Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse Racing with Kestrel Thoroughbreds.
Choisir
The filly is trained by Waterhouse and Bott at Flemington for Rosemont Stud. She’s been very impressive in jump-outs to date, winning all three this preparation. She has drawn barrier three for this debut and she will have jockey Jordan Childs aboard.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Wednesday had no luck at all. At Warwick Farm, Mexico (Capitalist) was scratched, as was Kazou (Zoustar). At Ipswich, Daring Diego (Toronado {Ire}) was unplaced.
