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.
Friday at Canterbury, we look at an interesting son of Dundeel (NZ) for the China Horse Club-Newgate Farm partnership, plus a homebred from a good female family for Turangga Farm. At Wagga, we’ve got a colt from a very good Gooree Park family.
Canterbury Park, Race 1, 6pm AEDT, Racing and Sports H., $55,000, 1200m
Tannhauser, 2-year-colt (Dundeel {NZ} x Luqyaa {Exceed And Excel})
This colt is an interesting candidate for the China Horse Club-Newgate Farm partnership because he is one of only two by Dundeel in the ranks. He was purchased at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $425,000 when consigned by Milburn Creek, and he was one of two Dundeels that the partnership bought, and the only two it has ever bought.
Tannhauser is the second foal from the stakes-placed Exceed and Excel mare Luqyaa, who was Listed-placed three times. She is a full sister to the Group 2-placed Knight Exemplar. The second dam on this page is Charmview (Royal Academy {USA}), who was a Group 3 winner, and Charmview herself was a half-sister to the American stakes winner (who was also a stakes performer in Australia), Grandiser (Dehere {USA}).
Tannhauser as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Tannhauser is trained by Chris Waller at Rosehill and he’s had two trials to date, the latest of which was early this week when he was second. In this debut, he will jump from barrier three and will have jockey Brenton Avdulla.
Canterbury Park, Race 2, 6.30pm AEDT, TAB Plate, $55,000, 1250m
Be Alive, 4-year-old mare (Vancouver x Irish Darling {Ivory’s Irish})
This mare has taken a long time to get to the races for her owner-breeder, Stuart Ramsey of Turangga Farm. She is a daughter of the G1 SAJC Australasian Oaks winner Irish Darling, who also won the G2 SAJC South Australian Oaks. Be Alive was the final foal from this good mare, whose four foals to the track have all been winners.
Be Alive is a notable half-brother to the late sire Fighting Sun, who won the Listed Canonbury S. as a 2-year-old before stud duties. He is also a half-brother to Miss Shamrock (Zabeel {NZ}), the dam of the Group 3- and Listed-placed Amerock (Americain {USA}).
Vancouver | Standing at Woodside Park
Be Alive is trained by Edward O’Rourke at Hawkesbury and she’s had a number of preparations to date. She’s been trialling since this time last year, but her latest effort was a winning trial over 1200 metres on January 16 at Warwick Farm. That’s promising for this debut and the mare will have jockey Rachel King from barrier four.
Wagga, Race 6, 4.40pm AEDT, James Olsen MTC Life Member Mdn, $27,000, 1400m
Duchy Of Cornwall, 3-year-old gelding (Hallowed Crown x Zutara {Encosta De Lago})
This unraced gelding was due to debut last week on the Wagga card but was a scratching. He hails from an old Gooree family, from the Encosta De Lago mare Zutara, who was placed in both the G2 Silver Slipper S. and G3 Sweet Embrace S. His half-brother is the High Chaparral (Ire) filly Whispered Secret, who won the Listed Fernhill H. and was third in the G1 Champagne S. With the Group-winning Matras (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) as a second dam, this is the family of Prized Icon.
Duchy Of Cornwall was bred by Gooree Park Stud and consigned to its draft at the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. He was bought for $45,000 by Richard Pegum, in whose colours he will race.
Duchy Of Cornwall as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The gelding is trained at Wagga by Tim Donnelly and he’s been unplaced in two trials to date. He will start from barrier one in this debut with jockey Danny Beasley.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Thursday went fairly well. At Ipswich, Storm Force Ten (Fastnet Rock) was unplaced (fourth) and Sisterhood (American Pharoah {USA}) was second at Pakenham.
