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 Sunday we look to Goulburn for all three selections, each of whom are making their debuts. They include a pair of 3-year-old Pierro fillies from leading stables, and an interesting import for Bjorn Baker.
Goulburn, Race 3, 3pm (AEDT), Goulburn Produce fillies’ and mares’ BM58 H., $27,000, 1400m
Queen Of Bordeaux, 3-year-old filly (Pierro x Guangdong {Fastnet Rock})
Making her debut for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott on Sunday, Queen Of Bordeaux took in two trials in January, finishing a running-on third in the latest of those at Randwick on January 23.
Whilst the winner of that trial has yet to return to the track, the second-place finisher, Byron Belle (Snitzel), ran to a 0.38l victory on her subsequent start in a Canterbury maiden last Wednesday.
A $210,000 purchase for her trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Queen Of Bordeaux was bred by Gerry Harvey and is out of the Fastnet Rock mare Guangdong, who is a half-sister to the dam of one of the stable’s superstars in Alligator Blood (All Too Hard).
Pierro | Standing at Coolmore
Guangdong is also a three-quarter sister to the Group 1-placed Eclair Fastpass (Fastnet Rock), and a half-sister to the Listed winner Cantonese (Redoute’s Choice). Queen Of Bordeaux has an excellent extended family too, as her third dam is the South African multiple champion Tracy's Element (Last Tycoon {Ire}), dam of multiple-Group 1 winner Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}).
Carrying 56.5kgs, Queen Of Bordeaux will jump from barrier five with Winona Costin on board on Sunday.
Goulburn, Race 5, 4.16pm (AEDT), Swiftwood Tiles and Bathrooms Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1200m
Kokoshnik, 3-year-old filly (Pierro x Tiare {Flying Spur})
Bred by Lightning Thoroughbreds, the Pierro filly Kokoshnik also makes her debut for Richard and Will Freedman on Sunday. She is out of the winning Flying Spur mare Tiare, a half-sister to multiple-stakes winner Keen Array (Bel Esprit), whose victories include the G2 Gilgai S. and Listed Blue Sapphire S.
Tiare has produced two runners so far both of whom are winners, including Kokoshnik’s brother Private Cheetah (Pierro). Under her third dam, Kokoshnik is also related to G1 Hong Kong Sprint winner Sky Field (Deep Field).
Kokoshnik as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Kokoshnik was a $140,000 purchase at the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for Dynamic Syndications and Dean Watt Bloodstock. She will have to overcome barrier 10 on Sunday but has the services of the in-form Tyler Schiller.
Goulburn, Race 7, 5.40pm (AEDT), Weddings at Goulburn Race Club Mdn H., $27,000, 1400m
Adesso (Ire), 3-year-old colt (Australia {GB} x For Now {Ire} {Lawman {Fr}})
Imported as an unraced youngster by Bjorn Baker, 3-year-old Adesso (Ire) makes his first start on Sunday. He was purchased by Baker alongside Avenue Bloodstock and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) at Book 1 of the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
There they paid 105,000gns (AU$191,840) - not a bad price for a colt which hails from one of the best extended families in Europe. He is out of the unraced Lawman (Fr) mare For Now (Ire), a half-sister to three stakes winners.
However, it’s under the colt’s second dam that the pedigree really heats up. She is the winning Nashwan (USA) mare Aricia (Ire), who is a half-sister to the stallion Verglas (Ire) and Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), the dam of multiple-Group 1 winner Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}).
Adesso (Ire) as a yearling | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Halfway To Heaven is in turn the dam of the brilliant Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and her sister (also a multiple champion) Rhododendron (Ire), the dam of one of Aidan O’Brien’s most exciting juveniles from last season, Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Running in the stable colours, Adesso was fifth in his most recent trial at Hawkesbury on January 24, and the 1400-metre distance looks to suit him for a first assignment. He will jump from barrier one under Mitchell Bell on Sunday.
Looking Back
After Extremely Wicked (Zoustar) was scratched from the G3 Chairman's S. at Sandown, Saturday's selections were reduced to one - Portorosa (Not A Single Doubt) - who ran a nice race to finish third on debut in the Listed Lonhro Plate at Royal Randwick.
