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.
Friday at Canterbury’s night meeting, we look at a debutante filly for Debbie Kepitis’ Woppitt Bloodstock, plus a second-up gelding from a daughter of a Group 2 winner. At Moonee Valley, we look at a Highclere-bred filly from the family of Jukebox.
Canterbury Park, Race 2, 6.30pm AEDT, Munch Express H., $55,000, 1100m
Floradora, 3-year-old filly (Not A Single Doubt x Downtown Manhattan {Manhattan Rain})
This unraced filly is from the winning mare Downtown Manhattan, who is a full sister to the South African Group 1 winner Whisky Baron (Manhattan Rain), a Champion Middle Distance Horse in the season 2016/17. This is also the family of Tashelka (Fr) (Mujahid {USA}), who was a dual Group 3 winner at Deauville and the dam of the Champion Older Female in the United Arab Emirates, Tasaday (USA) (Nayef {USA}).
Floradora was consigned by Vinery Stud last year to the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, and she was bought by Debbie Kepitis’ Woppitt Bloodstock for $425,000.
Floradora as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
She is trained by Chris Waller at Rosehill, where she’s had two trials. She was unplaced and then third last time out, and she comes into this debut with jockey Hugh Bowman from barrier five.
Canterbury Park, Race 3, 7pm AEDT, Schweppes Plate, $55,000, 1550m
Havlicek, 3-year-old gelding (Astern x Auckland Beauty {Redoute’s Choice})
Three-year-old Havlicek was third on debut last month at Newcastle for trainer Chris Waller, and he’ll need that experience in this field. He will have Hugh Bowman aboard for the first time, and the pair has drawn barrier five.
Havlicek is the third foal from the Redoute’s Choice mare Auckland Beauty, who is a daughter of Fritz’s Princess (More Than Ready {USA}). The latter was a winner of the G2 The Shorts and placed in the G1 Winter S. and G1 The Galaxy, along with a succession of other stakes races. This is also the family of the Australian Champion juvenile Align (Night Shift {USA}).
Havlicek as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Havlicek was bred by Silverdale studmaster Steve Grant and consigned by Silverdale Farm to the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. He was purchased by Star Thoroughbreds and Randwick Bloodstock (FBAA) for $130,000.
Moonee Valley, Race 2, 6.45pm AEDT, Poppy Appeal Plate, $60,000, 1200m
Flying Temptress, 3-year-old filly (Capitalist x Flying Siren {Flying Spur})
This filly has plenty of black type on her page. She’s a daughter of the winning mare Flying Siren, who is a half-sister to Catapulted (Catbird), a four-time Group winner and seven-time overall stakes winner. The second dam in this pedigree was a full sister to the stakes winner Umatune, who in turn was the dam of the Group 1 winner Ihtsahymn (Ihtiram {Ire}) and the Listed WATC Gimcrack winner Jestatune (Rory’s Jester). The latter is the dam of the Snitzel sire Jukebox.
Flying Temptress was bred by Highclere Australia and consigned by Milburn Creek to the 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. She sold for $300,000 to D. Romanelli and Clinton McDonald Racing.
Flying Temptress as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
She is trained at Cranbourne by McDonald and she’s been well-galloped in jump-outs this preparation. In her latest on October 10, she was second. The filly has jockey Blaike McDougall from barrier one for this debut.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Thursday were a mixed bag. At Port Macquarie, Cirebon (Real Impact {Jpn}) was a winner and Fill Your Heart (More Than Ready {USA}) was unplaced. At Pakenham, Pampuni (Written Tycoon) was third.
