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.
Wednesday at Doomben, we look at a filly from a half-sister to the Group 1 winner Cheeky Choice (Redoute’s Choice), while at Rosehill, we’ve got a gelding whose well-bred dam is a half-sister to two Group 1 winners. At Sandown, we look at a Frankel (GB) filly on debut from a well-related female family.
Doomben, Race 2, 2.53pm AEDT (1.53pm local), Road to Magic Millions On Sale Now QTIS 3YO Fillies’ Mdn, $37,000, 1200m
Maralah, 3-year-old filly (Exceed And Excel x Seismic Warning (More Than Ready {USA}})
This unraced filly is a daughter of Seismic Warning, who is a half-sister to Cheeky Choice, a winner of the G1 Flight S. and G2 Tea Rose S. during a very useful career. There is plenty of black type in this family, including Danasia (Danehill {USA}), a Listed winner and Group 1 placed in the New Zealand Oaks who was, in turn, the dam of the G1 Rosehill Guineas winner Zabrasive (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Maralah was consigned by Lyndhurst Stud Farm to the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where she sold to Chris Meagher for $110,000.
Maralah as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She is trained by Meagher at Eagle Farm and has been well-trialled so far. In the latest last month she was first at Doomben, and she comes into this debut with jockey Robbie Fradd and barrier 10.
Rosehill Gardens, Race 2, 2.35pm AEDT, Microphone Yearlings H., $55,000, 1200m
Unravel, 3-year-old gelding (Snitzel x Traceability {Charge Forward})
This gelding has as much pedigree as you could want at a midweek meeting. He’s a son of Traceability, who is a three-quarter sister to the R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic winner Assail (Charge Forward), and a half-sister to the Group 1 winners Master Of Design and Suntagonal. This is the family of the brilliant Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}), while this gelding is a full brother to the South African stakes winner Traces.
Initially, Unravel was consigned by Arrowfield Stud to its draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, but he was withdrawn and retained.
Snitzel | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
In the Arrowfield colours, the gelding won on debut at Muswellbrook on Cup Day, and he was very smart with a 1.29l victory. He’s far from the only winner in this good field, but he’s got Tyler Schiller aboard with a light weight and barrier six.
Sandown-Hillside, Race 1, 1pm AEDT, Ladbroke It! Plate, $55,000, 1400m
Frankly Elegant, 3-year-old filly (Frankel {GB} x Turning Heads {Ire} {Declaration Of War {USA}})
This filly is the first foal from the imported mare Turning Heads (Ire), who is a daughter of Turning Top (USA) (Pivotal {GB}), a Grade 3 winner in America that was multiple times Group-placed. This is the family of the Champion Irish filly Bianca Nera (GB) (Salse {USA}), which includes the Group 1-winning Postponed (Ire) and his Group 1-winning half-sister God Given (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).
Frankly Elegant was consigned initially to the 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, but she was withdrawn and retained by her breeder, Chesterfield Thoroughbreds.
Frankly Elegant as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The filly is unraced for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, but she’s been handy in trials this preparation. She finished second in the latest at Cranbourne, and she will have jockey Ben Melham aboard from barrier six.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Tuesday were luckless. At Newcastle, Firebird Two (Russian Revolution) was unplaced, as was Genetic Freak (Shalaa {Ire}). At Kyneton, Zurich (Kingman {GB}) was also unplaced.
