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.
We have two first-timers on Sunday, when Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott send out a 2-year-old daughter of The Autumn Sun in Canberra’s G3 Black Opal S., whilst David Vandyke will debut a 3-year-old daughter of Darci Brahma (NZ) at the Sunshine Coast.
Canberra, Race 8, 5.40pm AEDT, G3 Black Opal S., $200,000, 1200m
Autumn Ballet, 2-year-old filly (The Autumn Sun x Grisi {Street Cry {Ire}})
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable will debut this juvenile daughter of The Autumn Sun in the G3 Black Opal S. at Canberra. The filly comes to this event after an impressive display winning a 900-metre trial at Rosehill by over 7l on February 27. Tim Clark has been engaged to ride the filly, and they will jump from barrier six.
Autumn Ballet as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Autumn Ballet comes from an exceptional family, being out of the Street Cry (Ire) mare Grisi, with her second dam being a sister to the great Lonhro and his triple-Group 1-winning brother Niello. This is also the family of Cylinder, the son of Exceed And Excel who is a leading contender in the G1 Golden Slipper later this month, with victories in the G2 Todman S. and G2 Silver Slipper S.
Autumn Ballet was a $340,000 yearling purchase by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in conjunction with Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale when consigned by Arrowfield Stud.
Sunshine Coast, Race 6, 4.30pm AEDT (3.30pm local), Nutrien/Dos AG Mundubbera Mdn H., $30,000, 1200m
Zoraydah (NZ), 3-year-old filly (Darci Brahma {NZ} x Zorya {USA} {Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}})
David Vandyke will send out this 3-year-old daughter of Darci Brahma on Sunday to make her debut at the Sunshine Coast. In preparation for this, Zoraydah (NZ) was second in a 1050-metre trial at Deagon on February 21. Justin Huxatable has been engaged to ride, and the pair will jump from barrier eight.
Zoraydah (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
The filly is from the unraced Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) mare Zorya (USA), who is a half-sister to American Group 1 winner Irish Smoke (USA) (Smoke Glacken {USA}) and also a half-sister to the dam of the Group 1-winning Giant’s Causeway (USA) mare Book Review (USA). All four of Zorya’s foals to race are winners.
Zoraydah was a NZ$60,000 yearling purchase by Meagher Racing and Heran Racing from the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale Book 1 when offered by Haunui Farm.
Looking Back
Saturday’s selections provided little fortune, with the Justify (USA) colt Limburg finishing unplaced in the G3 Pago Pago S. at Rosehill. The Annabel Neasham-trained Portorosa (Not A Single Doubt) was unplaced in the G2 Sires’ Produce S. Finally, we will have to wait until Sunday to see the I Am Invincible filly Tiz Invincible debut. She was scratched from the G3 Magic Night S. in preference for Sunday’s G3 Black Opal S. in Canberra.
