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 Tuesday we look to two 3-year-old fillies at Moe, one of whom is an intriguingly bred (and coloured) daughter of Capitalist and the other a smart daughter of No Nay Never (USA). In between we turn to Bathurst where a recent trial winner for Bjorn Baker looks to open his account.
Moe, Race 4, 3pm AEDT, Club Eastwood Launch Fri 27th Jan Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1623m
Glorious Defiance, 3-year-old filly (No Nay Never {USA} x Zagalia {NZ} {Zabeel {NZ}})
Bred by Katom, Glorious Defiance looks to make her second start a winning one on Tuesday when she heads to Moe. Trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, she was a $150,000 buy for her trainers, First Light Racing and Paul Willetts at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
She is out of the G1 Queensland Oaks winner Zagalia (NZ), who was also fourth in the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Underwood S. She is the dam of 10 foals to race, seven of which are winners, led by Group 3 winner Dawnie Perfect (Big Brown {USA}).
Glorious Defiance as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Glorious Defiance’s first start came on January 6, when she was sixth in a 1400-metre maiden at Cranbourne. Given her pedigree, she can be expected to improve for the step up in distance at Moe, and will have the services of Daniel Moor, jumping from barrier two.
Bathurst, Race 4, 3.05pm AEDT, ON - TRAC AG CG&E Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1100m
Armageddon, 3-year-old gelding (Deep Field x Just As Cosmic {Fomalhaut {USA}})
Bred in partnership by SF Bloodstock, Henry Field and Hollymount Stud, Armageddon was initially sold by Newgate for $52,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale. The buyer that day was Valiant Stud, who then reoffered him at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
There he was picked up by his trainer, Bjorn Baker, and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) for $130,000. He is the third foal from Just As Cosmic, a four-time winner who placed second in the Listed Wyong Gold Cup and fourth in the G1 Queensland Oaks.
Armageddon as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Just As Cosmic’s only other foal to race is yet to win, but Armageddon looks to have every chance on debut off the back of a quintet of trials for Baker, the last of which he was successful in at Warwick Farm last week. He will jump from barrier six under Ashley Morgan.
Moe, Race 6, 4pm AEDT, INXsive Moe Racing Club Fri 17th March 0-64 H., $27,000, 1214m
So Greysful, 3-year-old filly (Capitalist x Leading The Way {Arg} {Brancusi {USA}})
Trained by Peter Moody, the well-named So Greysful broke through for maiden victory on her second attempt with a hard-fought victory at Mornington on January 8, and looks to go back-to-back at Moe on Tuesday.
She has an interesting, international pedigree being out of the Argentine mare Leading The Way (Arg), a Group 1 winner in her nation of origin who is also the dam of a Group 3 winner in the same country and from the family of Champion there too.
So Greysful as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
A $150,000 purchase for her trainer Moody Racing and Tricolours Racing and Syndications at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, So Greysful was bred and sold by Kingstar Farm. She has Carleen Hefel booked to ride and the pair will jump from barrier nine.
Looking Back
Saturday's selections were a mixed bag. After Balance Of Power (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) finished second-last in the R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO at Pukekohe, 2-year-old colt Don Corleone (Extreme Choice) was an impressive winner in the first at Randwick, and not long after Godolphin's International (Pierro) finished last on debut at Flemington.
