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.
Sunday will see a number of promising young horses go around. We start at the Sunshine Coast with two geldings with Classic pedigrees making their debuts. Lastly, a most interesting runner hopes to gain a start at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.
Sunshine Coast, Race 1, 1.59pm AEDT (12.59pm local), Cellar Maintenance Australia Mdn Plate, $30,000, 1400m
Nagamie, 3-year-old gelding (Dundeel {NZ} x Lady Cumquat {Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}})
The Bevan Laming-trained Nagamie will debut on Sunday at the Sunshine Coast. The gelding comes to the races off a fourth-placed effort in a 1050-metre trial at Deagon on February 21. Sean Cormack has been engaged to ride and the pair will jump from barrier nine.
Nagamie as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
The gelding is a half-brother to the progressive 4-year-old mare, So You See (So You Think {NZ}). Nagamie is the third foal from the Duke Of Marmalade (Ire) mare Lady Cumquat. Lady Cumquat was a winner of the G3 Manawatu Classic and a half-sister to star staying mare Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}). Nagamie’s second dam Imposingly (Zabeel {NZ}) was awarded New Zealand’s Broodmare of the Year in 2016/17, the dam of six individual stakes winners. Imposingly, is a three-quarter sister to St Reims (NZ) and Champagne (NZ), Champagne best remembered for her runner-up performance in the 1998 G1 Melbourne Cup.
Nagamie was a NZ$90,000 purchase by John White Bloodstock and Laming Racing from the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale when offered by Westbury Stud.
Sunshine Coast, Race 2, 2.34pm AEDT (1.34pm local), Mask Events Mdn Plate, $30,000, 1400m
Wise Legend, 3-year-old gelding (So You Think {NZ} x Hidden Strings {Weasel Clause})
The Lee Freedman-trained Wise Legend looks well-placed to improve on his debut effort at Ipswich, where he was placed over 1350 metres on February 16. Boris Thornton has been engaged for the ride and the pair will jump from barrier 14.
Wise Legend as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Wise Legend is out of the G2 Matriarch S., winner Hidden Strings, a daughter of Marscay stallion Weasel Clause. The gelding is a full brother to G1 Schweppes Oaks winner Sopressa (So You Think {NZ}).
The gelding was a $180,000 purchase by Bon Ho from the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Rosemont Stud.
Sha Tin, Race 2, 4.30pm AEDT (2.30pm local), Cumberland H., HK$1,100,000 (AU$203,300), 1200m
Red Hare King, 3-year-old gelding (So You Think {NZ} x Fragrance {Commands})
The Tony Cruz-trained gelding is banking on a scratching to make his debut at Sha Tin, on Sunday. Currently no jockey has been engaged to ride.
If Red Hare King gains a run, the gelding is sure to pique the interest of Australian viewers, given his pedigree. A son of the unraced Commands mare Fragrance, she is a full sister to G1 Champagne S. winner Skilled and G2 Theo Mark S. winner Ambidexter, both sire sons of Commands. Fragrance is also a half-sister to G1 VRC Oaks heroine Willowy (Kermadec {NZ}).
Red Hare King as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The gelding was an $800,000 purchase by George Moore Bloodstock, at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, when consigned by Segenhoe Stud.
Looking Back
Saturday’s selections provided little joy. The I Am Invincible colt on debut Massira, was unplaced in the opening event at Flemington, while the Zoustar filly Furlanetto, also failed to run a place on debut at Murray Bridge on Saturday.
