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.
There’s some very good races throughout Australia on Thursday, with a number of well-bred 2-year-olds stepping out for the first time. We have found a couple to keep a close eye on. The first is a colt by I Am Invincible from the family of Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) and he debuts at Wyong. The second is a Dundeel (NZ) colt, who is closely related to the Group 1 heroine Alverta (Flying Spur). We also highlight a Godolphin homebred, who is a half-brother to the now retired star sprinter Bivouac.
Kilmore, Race 1, 1pm AEST, bet365 Top Tote Plus 3YO Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1200m
Nitrogen, 3-year-old gelding (Lonhro x Dazzler {More Than Ready {USA}})
A homebred for Godolphin, Nitrogen is a half-brother to the triple Group 1 hero Bivouac, who earned close to $5.7 million in earnings during his glittering 22-start career, and now stands at Darley Kelvinside.
The 3-year-old is also a half-brother to the dual Listed winner Coruscate (Exceed And Excel).
Nitrogen is from a mare that won her first two starts (at two).
Bivoauc | Standing at Darley
The gelding’s grandam is the former smart mare Camarilla (Elusive Quality {USA}) - the winner of the 2007 G1 AJC Sires’ Produce S. and the 2007 G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies).
Other stakes winners from this family include the multiple Group 1 victress Guelph (Exceed And Excel) and the Group 2 scorer Ghibellines.
The James Cummings-trained Nitrogen has had four trials - three of them at Hawkesbury. He finished second in his first trial over 800 metres at Hawkesbury in May last year.
Jockey Jordan Childs has been engaged for the gelding’s debut.
Wyong, Race 3, 1.35pm AEST, 2YO Mdn Plate, $40,000, 1100m
Absolute Power, 2-year-old colt (I Am Invincible x True Excelsior {NZ} {Exceed And Excel})
This colt was consigned by his breeder - Rosemont Stud - at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He was knocked down to his trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, as well as Kestrel Thoroughbreds, for $600,000.
Absolute Power is the first foal of a Group 3 placegetter who is a half-sister to the stakes performers Heart Of The Ocean (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Special Lover (NZ) (Pins) and Diamond Valores (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), who raced as Vadarian Bullet in Hong Kong.
Absolute Power as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The colt hails from the famous Eight Carat family, making him a close relation to a host of Group 1 winners, including Octagonal (NZ), Don Eduardo (NZ), Mouawad (NZ), Shower Of Roses (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and Tristalove (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}).
Absolute Power’s owners include Nick Vass, Rosemont Stud and Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.
Brett Prebble takes the ride aboard Absolute Power, who has had three trials ahead of his debut.
Pakenham, Race 1, 5.15pm AEST, Pakenham Mazda Mdn Plate, $40,000, 1200m
Delure, 2-year-old colt (Dundeel {NZ} x Lures {Flying Spur})
This colt was consigned by his breeder - Arrowfield Stud - at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. He was bought by MG Price Racing & Breeding for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr for $320,000.
Delure is a son of a winless mare and she is a sister to Alverta - a winner of the G1 Coolmore Classic in 2010 and the Joint Champion Older Female Sprinter in Great Britain in 2010. Lures is also a sister to the stakes performer Star Mystic and a half-sister to the stakes winners Aerobatics (Exceed And Excel) and Revolte (French Deputy {USA}).
Delure as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The colt is also related to the recent G1 Osaka Hai hero Jack D’Or (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}).
Damien Oliver rides for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.
Looking Back
At Sandown-Hillside, we had two runners in Race 1; Grand Larceny (Zoustar) was scratched at the gates, before Austmarr (Exosphere) finished second. Meanwhile, at Randwick-Kensington, Alsonfire (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}), was unplaced.
