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.
Wednesday at Randwick-Kensington, we look at a half-brother to Home Affairs on debut, while also on debut is a 3-year-old filly from the triple Group winner Artistry (Shamardal {USA}). At Doomben, we look at a half-brother to a JJ Atkins winner.
Randwick-Kensington, Race 1, 1.25pm AEST, Bivouac @ Darley H., $55,000, 1150m
Marenaro, 2-year-old colt (Dundeel {NZ} x Miss Interiors {Flying Spur})
This colt was a striking addition to Torryburn Stud’s draft at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling, if only for his wild-bay (blonde) tail. Bred at Torryburn, he sold to Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ) for $540,000.
Marenaro is the fourth foal from the winning mare Miss Interiors, making him a half-brother to Coolmore’s Group 1-winning sire Home Affairs, a son of I Am Invincible, and also Aysar (Deep Field), who was second in the G1 Caulfield Guineas. The second dam on this page is Ballet D’Amour (USA) (Stravinsky {USA}), the dam of Russian Revolution. As such, this is a sire’s pedigree.
Marenaro as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Marenaro is trained by Chris Waller at Rosehill and raced by an ownership group that includes Tony Muollo and Lib Petagna. The colt trialled for the first time on June 6, running fourth, and in this debut he will have jockey Jason Collett from barrier five.
Randwick-Kensington, Race 2, 2pm AEST, Bowermans H., $55,000, 1150m
Speymalt, 3-year-old filly (Not A Single Doubt x Artistry {Shamardal {USA}})
This unraced filly is a daughter of the Shamardal (USA) mare Artistry, who was a very good race mare. Trained largely by the Snowden team, she won a trifecta of Group 3 races, including the NJC Newmarket H., VRC HKJC S. and Maurice McCarten S. Speymalt is her second foal, and this is the family of Champion filly Samantha Miss (Redoute’s Choice) and G1 Adelaide Cup winner Cronus (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Speymalt was consigned by Cressfield Stud to the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she was bought by CB Bloodstock and Snowden Racing for $400,000.
Speymalt as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The filly has been well-trialled to date, winning her last over 900 metres at Rosehill on June 6. She is trained at Randwick by Peter and Paul Snowden, and in this debut will jump from barrier three with Sam Clipperton.
Doomben, Race 2, 1.08pm AEST, Mount Franklin QTIS 3YO Mdn, $40,000, 1350m
Napa Valley, 3-year-old gelding (Pierro x Zuzao {Delzao})
This Pierro gelding is the fourth foal from his dam Zuzao, making him a half-brother to the smart juvenile Capital Gain (Ad Valorem {USA}), a winner of the G1 JJ Atkins and runner-up in the Listed Dalrello S. The third dam on this page is the dual Group winner Darling Take Care (Bending Away {USA}), in turn, the dam of the Group-placed Generation Gap (Sir Dapper).
Napa Valley was consigned by Twin Hills Stud to the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, selling to Tony Fung Investments and Phoenix Thoroughbreds for $520,000. He is now raced by his breeder, RJ Manwaring.
Napa Valley as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The gelding is trained by Bryan Dais at Eagle Farm, to whom he relocated from Annabel Neasham. He was last in his debut trial at Doomben on June 6, but he comes into this debut with a classy pedigree, jockey Cejay Graham and barrier eight.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Tuesday were a mixed bag. At Scone in Race 4, Silent Russian (Russian Revolution) was a good winner, while at Ballarat in Race 2, Das Kapital (Written Tycoon) was fifth.
