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 Warwick Farm, we look at a debutant colt whose dam has a stack of Japanese pedigree, while at the same meeting we pay attention to a late-blooming gelding that’s a three-quarter brother to Master Of Design. Meanwhile, at Sandown, we’ve got a debutante filly whose dam is a Zabeel (NZ) full sister to two Group 1 winners.
Warwick Farm, Race 1, 2.20pm AEDT, The Autumn Sun at Arrowfield Plate, $55,000, 1100m
Deciduous, 2-year-old colt (The Autumn Sun x Bollywood {Jpn} {Rulership {Jpn}})
This unraced colt by Arrowfield’s The Autumn Sun is the first foal from the Rulership (Jpn) mare Bollywood (Jpn), who has a stack of black type on her page via her dam, Bisque Doll (Jpn) (Sunday Silence {USA}). Bollywood is a half-sister to the Japanese stakes winners Oken Believe (Jpn) (Kurofune {USA}) and Ice Doll (Jpn) (Captain Steve {USA}), the latter the subsequent dam of stakes winner Ice Giant (Jpn) (Dunkirk {USA}). The third dam is Fairy Doll (USA) (Nureyev {USA}), a hugely prolific producer.
This colt was consigned by Arrowfield to the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was picked up by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in partnership with Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $475,000.
Deciduous as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Deciduous is a debutant in this field of juveniles, with only two trial starts to date. He has been very promising in those, coming second and first, and in this debut he will carry jockey Tim Clark from barrier three.
Warwick Farm, Race 2, 2.55pm AEDT, Kia Ora Stallions H., $55,000, 1100m
Windshadow, 4-year-old gelding (Redoute’s Choice x Traceability {Charge Forward})
This 4-year-old gelding is from the Charge Forward mare Traceability and, as such, is a half-brother to the South African stakes winner Traces (Snitzel). His full brother, Spring Loaded, was second in the G3 Canonbury S. This is a very strong family, with Windshadow a three-quarter brother to the G1 TJ Smith S. winner Master Of Design. The second dam on this page, Urge To Merge (Last Tycoon {Ire}), is a full sister to the dam of Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}).
Windshadow was consigned by Arrowfield Stud to the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was sold to a consortium of Aquis Farm, Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) and Ozzie Kheir. He will debut in the colours of Kheir.
Windshadow as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The gelding is trained at Warwick Farm by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and was due to debut a few times this year. He was first in a debut trial at Gosford on November 21, and he will have jockey Jason Collett from barrier eight.
Sandown-Hillside, Race 1, 3.40pm AEDT, Neville Baker Plate, $55,000, 1300m
Ngorongoro, 3-year-old filly (Smart Missile x Flametree Of Thika {NZ} {Zabeel {NZ}})
This filly was bred and is raced by Trevor and Terry Delroy of Western Australia, who had Ethiopia (Helenus) win the G1 Australian Derby in these colours. Much of the Delroys’ stock is named after geography in Africa, this unraced filly no exception. Her dam, Flametree Of Thika (NZ), has a fair bit of pedigree being a full sister to G1 Queensland Oaks winner Gondokoro (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the G1 South Australian Derby winner Zabeelionaire (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Further along this pedigree, there is plenty of European black type to look at, including the third dam being a half-sister to the Selkirk (USA) stakes winner in France, Reve De Paix (GB) and Shigeru Summit (GB) (Be My Chief {USA}), the dam of Irish stakes winner Shizao (Ire) (Alzao {USA}).
Smart Missile | Standing at Twin Hills Stud
Flametree Of Thika has had six foals, but this filly will be the first to make it to the racetrack. She is trained by Pat Carey at Mornington, and has had a few jump-outs to date, the best of which was fourth last week. Ngorongoro will debut with Patrick Moloney aboard from barrier seven.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections for Tuesday peformed well. At Hamilton, Sonoma Coast (Savabeel) was a winner and Probability (Toronado {Ire}) was unplaced. At Bathurst, Sweysive (NZ) (Sweynesse) was third.
