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.
Tuesday will host three well-bred thoroughbreds who will have their first race-day appearances across Australia.
Seymour, Race 1, 12.25pm AEST, Shearer Construction 3YO Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1100m
Grinzinger Abbey, 3-year-old filly (Exceed And Excel x Loveday {Danzero})
Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Danny O’Brien will debut a daughter of Champion Sire Exceed And Excel, Grinzinger Abbey, on Tuesday at Seymour.
The filly is the sixth foal from the Danzero mare Loveday. She is a half-sister to True Jewels (Brief Truce {USA}), who won the G1 Blue Diamond S. and the Listed Ottawa S. True Jewels would also run fourth in the G1 Thousand Guineas.
Grinzinger Abbey as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Grinzinger Abbey hails from the family of Wager (Flying Spur), who won the G2 Stan Fox S. and was placed in the G1 Champagne S., the G1 Sires’ Produce S. and the G1 Blue Diamond S.
Furthermore, this is the family of Anatola (More Than Ready {USA}), a six-time winner, including the Listed Silk Stocking H.
Grinzinger Abbey was an $80,000 yearling purchase by J Wheeler from the draft of Corumbene Stud at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Seymour, Race 3, 1.30pm AEST, Go Seymour F&M Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1418m
Cheeky Blinders, 3-year-old filly (So You Think {NZ} x Write Cheek {Written Tycoon})
The Ballarat-based trainer Henry Dwyer will debut a daughter of So You Think (NZ), Cheeky Blinders, at Seymour on Tuesday.
Cheeky Blinders is the third foal from the Written Tycoon mare Write Cheek. She was a six-time winner.
Hailing from the family of Sounds Abound (Sound Reason {Can}), who won three races from 2000 to 2200 metres, including the G3 Centaine S.
Cheeky Blinders as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Furthermore, Aka Bilk (NZ) (Al Akbar) hails from this family. He won 10 races from 800 to 2050 metres. An extremely versatile horse, he won the Listed Wanganui Guineas and was placed in the G2 Craiglee S. and the G3 Eclipse S.
Cheeky Blinders was initially a $65,000 weanling purchase by Platinum Breeding And Racing, Evans Racing Group and Pinhook Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm at the 2020 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale. The filly was later reoffered in the draft of KBL Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and sold to Henry Dwyer Racing for $140,000.
Taree, Race 1, 12.30pm AEST, Central Park Wingham 2YO H., $27,000, 1262m
Naahro, 2-year-old colt (Lonhro x Najmaat {Hinchinbrook})
Newcastle-based trainer Kris Lees will debut a son of the Champion Lonhro, Naahro, at Taree on Tuesday.
The colt is the third foal from the Hinchinbrook mare Najmaat. She was a winner as a 2-year-old and was fourth in the G3 Quezette S.
Naahro’s third dam is the outstanding galloper Miss Kournikova (Mr Greeley {USA}). She won the G1 Oakleigh Plate and was third in the G2 Surround S.
Naahro as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Miss Kournikova is the dam of the speedy Oakleigh Girl (Snitzel), a victress of the G3 Ottawa S. and Listed Calway Gal S. She recorded a placing in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Naahro was purchased for $50,000 by Jim Carey from the Shadwell Stud Australasia Unreserved Dispersal Sale at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale.
Naahro was then reoffered through the draft of Newgate Farm at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, purchased by Australian Bloodstock and Lees Racing for $120,000.
Looking Back
Sunday's selections fared okay. Prevailed (Justify {USA}) was unplaced in the opening race at Geelong. Sunfish (Highland Reel {Ire}) ran well to finish third in the second event at Geelong. While Sounds Of Heaven (I Am Invincible) was scratched from her engagement at Muswellbrook, her trainer Annabel Neasham elected to send the filly to Newcastle on Saturday, where Sounds Of Heaven saluted the judge.
