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 Saturday, we kick off at Newcastle where the Godolphin-owned Cylinder (Exceed And Excel) will be looking to get off the mark at the first attempt, while at Cranbourne, Sailor's Rum (Merchant Navy) will be attempting to get off the mark at the second time of asking. The day is rounded out by The Maldives (Fastnet Rock), who makes her debut at Kembla Grange.
Newcastle, Race 1, 12.20pm AEDT, NZB Airfreight Max Less Classic, $150,000, 900m
Cylinder, 2-year-old colt (Exceed And Excel x Circular {Street Cry {Ire}})
This Godolphin-raced colt will be bidding to become the fourth Southern Hemisphere-bred juvenile winner of the season for Darley’s Exceed And Excel when he lines up at Newcastle on Saturday.
Exceed And Excel | Standing at Darley
Trained by James Cummings, Cylinder is out of the Group 3-winning Street Cry (Ire) mare Circular and she is herself a daughter of four-time-winning Octagonal (NZ) mare Hexameter, who is herself a three-quarter sister to multiple Group 1-winning Champion Lonhro, fellow elite-level winner Niello (Octagonal {NZ}) and stakes winner Shannara (Octagonal {NZ}).
Cylinder will face 11 rivals and he will jump from barrier 12 with James McDonald booked to take the ride.
Cranbourne, Race 1, 12.35pm AEDT, Rhino The Wrecker 2YO Plate, $150,000, 1000m
Sailor’s Rum, 2-year-old colt (Merchant Navy x Brugal Reward {Reward For Effort})
Having finished fourth on debut, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Sailor’s Rum will line up for his second start at Cranbourne on Saturday and he will jump from barrier five with John Allen booked to take the ride.
Bred by B2B Thoroughbreds, the son of Merchant Navy was purchased by his trainers and Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) for $190,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in 2022.
Sailor's Rum as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The colt is out of the Group 3-winning mare Brugal Reward (Reward For Effort) and she in turn is a daughter of Tiger Tess (Told That Tiger {USA}), who is herself a half-sister to multiple Group 1-winning Champion Apache Cat (Lion Cavern {USA}).
Kembla Grange, Race 4, 2.25pm AEDT, Hansen and Cole Mdn Plate, $40,000, 1300m
The Maldives, 3-year-old filly (Fastnet Rock x Soneva {USA} {Cherokee Run {USA}})
The Chris Waller-trained The Maldives will look to make a winning debut when she tackles this 1300-metre contest at Kembla Grange and she will break from barrier 10 with Alysha Collett booked to take the ride.
The daughter of Coolmore resident Fastnet Rock was bought by Yes Bloodstock and Balmerino Racing for $550,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2021 and she is out of Group 3 winner Soneva (USA), who has produced five winners headed by The Blue Eye (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and stakes-placed See You Soon (Siyouni {Fr}).
The Maldives as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Further back, this is the same family as Grade 3 winner Hessonite (USA) (Freud {USA}) and Listed-winning duo Roanoke (Danehill {USA}) and European Rose (USA) (Nureyev {USA), while she is also the dam of Nureyev's Girl (NZ) (Nureyev {USA}), the dam of Group 2 winner Hardham (Redoute’s Choice) and New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner King’s Rose (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice).
King’s Rose herself was exported to Japan in 2013 and she has produced Japanese Grade 3 winner Satono Arthur (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Looking Back
Floradora (Not A Single Doubt) finished unplaced on debut at Canterbury, while Havlicek (Astern) finished fourth at the same track. Meanwhile, Flying Temptress (Capitalist) was second at Moonee Valley.
