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 Warwick Farm, we look at the debut of the $2 million yearling I Am Famous (I Am Invincible), along with a colt that boasts a sibling in Home Affairs. At Eagle Farm, we pay attention to a Justify (USA) filly who is a half-sister to a Group 3-winning, Group 1 placegetter.
Warwick Farm, Race 1, 12.50pm AEST, Furphy H., $55,000, 1200m
I Am Famous, 2-year-old filly (I Am Invincible x Pinocchio {Encosta De Lago})
This grey filly is well-named, being a $2 million yearling last year at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Consigned by Tyreel Stud, she was among the top four of best-sellers in the sale, with two others of that expensive set already winning on debut (Congregation {Snitzel} and Kandinsky Abstract {Zoustar}). I Am Famous was bought by The Yellow Brick Road Company and Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA).
The fame on this page is that this filly is a half-sister to The Everest and dual Group winner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt), along with Aethero (Sebring), a winner of the G2 HKJC Sprint and placegetter in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. This is also the family of the dual five-time Group 1 winner Racing To Win (Encosta De Lago) and his half-brother, the Group 3 winner Purrealist.
I Am Famous as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
I Am Famous is trained by Chris Waller and she’s been trialling since January. Her last outing resulted in a fifth at home to Luna Field (Deep Field) as recently as last week. In this debut she has barrier one with jockey Jason Collett.
Warwick Farm, Race 2, 1.25pm AEST, Home Affairs @ Coolmore H., $40,000, 1200m
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 Sale, if only on his wild-bay (blonde) tail. Bred by Torryburn, he sold to Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ) for $540,000.
Marenaro is the fourth foal from the winning mare Miss Interiors, and he’s an ideal addition to this race because he is a half-brother to Coolmore’s Group 1-winning freshman 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 (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 his latest effort he was unplaced a long way behind Luna Field. In this debut he will have jockey Kerrin McEvoy from barrier one.
Eagle Farm, Race 1, 12.33pm AEST, Mekkafest 19 August QTIS 2YO Fillies Mdn, $40,000, 1200m
Denote, 2-year-old filly (Justify {USA} x Lumina {Redoute’s Choice})
This unraced filly is a daughter of the Redoute’s Choice mare Lumina, who was a winner but is more notable as a half-sister to the Group 2-winning pair of Chinchilla Rose (Lion Hunter) and Ferocity (Lion Hunter), and as well as the Group 3-winning Leone Chiara (Lion Hunter), the very exceptional dam of Star Witness and Nostradamus. This filly herself is a half-sister to the Group 3-winning, Group 1-placed Pohutukawa (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), so there is exceptional production in this family.
Denote was consigned by Coolmore Stud to the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where she was bought Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock for $230,000.
Denote as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She is trained by Chris Waller at his Warwick Farm base and has trialled twice this month, most recently when third to the well-related Coincide (Invader) on June 20. She has come a long way to debut and she will have jockey James Orman from barrier five.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Tuesday were luckless. At Ballarat, Launch Sequence (Brazen Beau) was fourth in the opener, while at Kembla Grange, Pirate (Merchant Navy) was unplaced.
