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.
Thursday at Gosford, we look at a juvenile filly whose dam is a full sister to Pierro. At Sale, we look at a filly for Sheamus Mills whose dam is a Group 3 winner.
Gosford, Race 2, 12.45pm AEST, Quickcoat Waterproofing 2YO Mdn, $40,000, 1100m
Estriella, 2-year-old filly (I Am Invincible x Madrigals {Lonhro})
This filly will take on a good field in this debut, but she will be one of the better-breds in in it. Estriella is a daughter of Madrigals, who is a full sister to the Champion racehorse and now sire, Pierro, and a half-sister to the G2 Wakeful S. winner and multiple Group-placed Ambience (Street Cry {Ire}). Further along, this is the family of Laverock (Ire), who was a Champion in Italy and Group winner in France.
Estriella was consigned by Arrowfield Stud to the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she was sold to Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $750,000.
Estriella as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
She is trained at Warwick Farm by the Maher-Eustace partnership, and to date she has been sharp in trials. She was second on debut on May 26, then first at home over 789 metres on June 9. In this first race, she will have jockey John Allen from barrier six.
Sale, Race 1, 12.25pm AEST, Anthony Lee/Ian Rees 2YO Mdn, $37,500, 1013m
Gumdrops, 2-year-old filly (Written Tycoon x Sugar Bella {Not A Single Doubt})
Two-year-old Gumdrops was bred by Ravenswood Bloodstock from the Not A Single Doubt mare Sugar Bella, who was a winner of the G3 Wenona Girl H. and runner-up in the G3 Birthday Card S. Sugar Bella, herself, is a half-sister to Willy Jimmy (Dehere {USA}), who won the Listed Strawberry Road H. and was second in the G3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup. This is also the family of Sacred Hustler (Hussonet {USA}), who was very good in Macau, and that horse’s Smart Missile half-brother, Sacred Missile.
Gumdrops was consigned by Lime Country Thoroughbreds to the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she was bought by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) for $600,000.
Gumdrops as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
She is trained at Cranbourne by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, and to date she’s been excellent in trials. She was a barrier trial winner at home on February 6 before returning this winter with two winning jump-outs. In this first race, she will have jockey Beau Mertens from barrier seven.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Wednesday were a mixed bag. At Canterbury Park, Sunlord (The Autumn Sun) was fourth and Beautantes (Spirit Of Boom) was second at Doomben.
