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.
Thursday at Gosford, we’ve got an Extreme Choice debutante at Gosford whose dam is well-related, plus a debutant for the Lanwades sire Bobby’s Kitten (USA). Following the transfer of Benalla's meeting to Ballarat Synthetic, we’ve got a breeze-up gelding whose dam is a sister and half-sister to a pair of stakes winners.
Gosford, Race 7, 4.55pm AEDT, Gosford IT Midway Mdn, $45,000, 1000m
Oakfield Blue Bell, 4-year-old mare (Extreme Choice x Sprout {High Chaparral {Ire}})
This mare is from the first crop of Extreme Choice. She is a daughter of the High Chaparral (Ire) mare Sprout, who was a winner for Segenhoe Stud before her retirement. Sprout is a daughter of the dual Listed winner Regrowth (Unbridled’s Song {USA}), making her a half-sister to Colour (More Than Ready {USA}), a winner of the G3 SAJC Breeders’ S.
Extreme Choice | Standing at Newgate Farm
Oakfield Blue Bell was sold twice as a weanling. On the first occasion, Segenhoe consigned her to the 2019 Inglis Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale where she sold to Jadeskye Racing for $140,000. On the second occasion, she went to the 2019 Inglis Great Southern Sale where she was consigned by Glastonbury Farms and sold for $165,000 to Port Stephens identity Bruce Mackenzie.
Oakfield Blue Bell is raced by Mackenzie and this will be her maiden appearance. Trained by Damien Lane at Wyong, she was first in a debut trial at this track on October 13 and she has barrier seven in this race with jockey Darryl McLellan.
Gosford, Race 6, 4.20pm AEDT, Pirtek Central Coast 4YO&UP Mdn, $40,000, 1100m
Bobby’s Fling, 4-year-old horse (Bobby’s Kitten {USA} x Midnight Fling {Danehill {USA}})
There aren’t too many debutants in Australia by Bobby’s Kitten (USA), but Bobby’s Fling is one of them on Thursday. The 4-year-old entire is making his race debut here after two soft trials through June and October. As such, he is under-exposed in this experienced field.
Bobby's Kitten (USA) | Standing at Lanwades Stud
Bobby’s Fling is a son of the Danehill (USA) mare Midnight Fling, who was unraced for Turangga Farm before a breeding career. Midnight Fling is a daughter of Midnight Fever (Luskin Star), who was the 1987 winner of the G1 Blue Diamond S., along with five other Group races that year and a Listed win.
Four-year-old Bobby's Fling is trained at Wyong by Allan Kehoe, and he will carry jockey William Pike from barrier five in this debut.
Ballarat Synthetic, Race 1, 1pm AEDT, Living Here X-Mas Races Sat 17 December 3YO Mdn, $37,500, 1206m
Smax, 3-year-old gelding (Caravaggio {USA} x Tiwishkeni {Exceed And Excel})
This unraced gelding is from the winning mare Tiwishkeni, who is a full sister to Applegate (Exceed And Exceed), a winner of the Listed Ottawa S. and the subsequent dam of the Group 3 and Listed winner Cloudy (Frosted {USA}). She is also a half-sister to Yulalona (Dubai Destination {USA}), a winner of the G3 ATC Summer Cup and Listed Dulcify H.
Smax was consigned as a breezer to the 2021 Inglis Ready2Race Sale by JCS Thoroughbreds, and he galloped in 10.82s before he was passed in with a reserve of $50,000.
Smax as a Ready2Race 2-year-old | Image courtesy of Inglis
He is trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr at Cranbourne, and to date he’s had extensive trials. In the latest this preparation, he was first home over 1000 metres on October 10, and before that third on October 3. In this debut, Smax will carry jockey Patrick Moloney from barrier nine.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Wednesday fared moderately. At Bendigo, Futuristic (Zoustar) was second, while at Eagle Farm, Greensleeves (All Too Hard) was unplaced.
