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.
Thursday at Kembla Grange, we look at a full brother to the brilliant racehorse Exosphere, while at Bathurst we’ve got a half-brother to Unite And Conquer. At Pakenham, the million-dollar yearling Limburg (Justify {USA}) is making his debut.
Kembla Grange, Race 2, 1.50pm AEDT, Lake Heights Mdn, $40,000, 1000m
High Plateau, 4-year-old gelding (Lonhro x Altitude {Danzero})
This gelding has taken a long time to get to the races for trainer James Cummings. He is from the Danzero mare Altitude, who is a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Massimo (Sessions). As such, High Plateau is a full brother to the G1 Golden Rose winner Exosphere, who was also a winner of the G2 Run to the Rose H., G2 Skyline S. and G2 Roman Consul S.
Further along this big Darley pedigree is Consular Belle (Can) (Pro Consul {Can}), the dam of the Malaysian stakes winner Vibrant Virgo (Zabaleta {USA}) and the Western Australian stakes winner Tell Me Straight (Is It True {USA}). In fact, there is a good degree of Western Australian form here, including the Listed WATC Crystal Slipper winner Genuine Girl (Is It True {USA}) and her Group 3-winning son Destino.
Lonhro | Standing at Darley
High Plateau has been trialling since May last year. He was first on that occasion, and in total he’s trialled four times. The latest came on February 8 at this track when he was a winner. He will have jockey Brad Rawiller in this debut from barrier six.
Bathurst, Race 6, 5.50pm AEDT, Lithgow Mdn H., $27,000, 1400m
Twilight Rock, 3-year-old gelding (Fastnet Rock x Maglissa {Magnus})
This gelding is a half-brother to the R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic winner Unite And Conquer, who was also a winner of the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. The second dam on this page is Danglissa (Danzero), who was a leading 3-year-old and winner of the G1 Flight S., G2 Queen of the Turf S., G2 Tea Rose S. and G3 Furious S. This is also the family of Sweet Redemption (Snitzel).
Twilight Rock was consigned by Valiant Stud to the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he sold to Bjorn Baker Racing and Clarke Bloodstock for $300,000.
Twilight Rock as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
He is trained by Baker at Warwick Farm and this is an interesting debut at Bathurst. The gelding has been trialling well at home, running second in a Kembla Grange hitout on February 8 and then winning on February 16 at home. He will have jockey Ashley Morgan in this race from barrier three.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Wednesday fared very well. At Warwick Farm, the 2-year-old colt Introducing (Trapeze Artist) was a winner, as was 3-year-old Cool Jakey (Pierro). At Eagle Farm, the 2-year-old Ser John (Capitalist) was third.
