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, in the first race for the boys we look at a Rubick gelding whose half-brother is the stakes winner Usmanov (Choisir), plus the much-anticipated debut of the million-dollar colt Northern Eyes (Zoustar). In the second race for the fillies, we look at the first foal from the brilliant race filly Flippant (Hinchinbrook).
Warwick Farm, Race 1, 12.50pm AEST, Bowermans Plate, $55,000, 1100m
Undivided, 2-year-old gelding (Rubick x Mining Tycoon {Redoute’s Choice})
This unraced gelding is a half-brother to the Choisir stakes winner Usmanov, and from a recognisable branch of the Joie Denise (Danehill {USA}) family. It includes the second dam Tycoon Joy (Last Tycoon {Ire}), in turn the dam of Bentley Biscuit (Peintre Celebre {USA}), and Thorn Park further along through the mare Joy (Bluebird {USA}).
Undivided was consigned by Segenhoe Stud to the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He was bought by Darby Racing for $240,000.
Undivided as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The gelding is trained by Michael Freedman at Randwick and he’s been decent in recent trials, finishing first last time out at Canterbury over 898 metres. In this debut, he has barrier three and jockey Tom Sherry.
Warwick Farm, Race 1, 12.50pm AEST, Bowermans Plate, $55,000, 1100m
Northern Eyes, 2-year-old colt (Zoustar x Sexy Eyes {Written Tycoon})
We’ve featured 2-year-old Northern Eyes in these pages before, awaiting his important debut. He’s been scratched a number of times, but heads into this first start with all the accolades of a million-dollar yearling. At the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, he was consigned by Milburn Creek and sold to Tom Magnier for $1.25 million.
Northern Eyes as a yearling | Image couresy of Inglis
Northern Eyes is the first foal from the Written Tycoon mare Sexy Eyes, who won the G3 Belle of the Turf S. and Listed Weetwood H. at Toowoomba. Sexy Eyes is well-related. She is a half-sister to the stakes-winning Tina Melina (Jet Spur), and also to the dam of the G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Aspect (Pluck {USA}).
Northern Eyes is trained by Chris Waller at Rosehill. He’s had four trials since December last year, the latest of which was on June 26, in which he was third. The colt will have Tim Clark aboard for this debut from barrier four.
Warwick Farm, Race 2, 1.25pm AEST, Furphy Plate, $55,000, 1100m
Fickle, 2-year-old filly (I Am Invincible x Flippant {Hinchinbrook})
This unraced filly has a hot pedigree right now, so hot that her full sister was sold earlier this year at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast to the US-based Tammy Rigney for $2 million. Fickle is from the Group 3-winning Flippant, a three-quarter sister to the G1 The Galaxy winner I Am Excited (Snitzel), who also won the G2 Gilgai S. and G2 Victory S. There is pedigree everywhere on this page, including Atlantic Jewel (Fastnet Rock) on the third line.
I Am Invincible | Standing at Yarraman Park Stud
Fickle was the first foal from Flippant and she was originally consigned to the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, but withdrawn. Instead, she was retained by Yarraman Park and races in its colours.
The filly is trained by the Snowdens at Randwick and she’s been very good in trials. Through June and July, she’s run first and second at Canterbury and Wyong events. In this race debut, she has drawn barrier 14 with jockey Sam Clipperton.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Tuesday went only fairly. At Ballarat, Ruminate (So You Think {NZ}) was second in the opener, while Tahnee Baby (Star Witness) was fourth in the same race. In the fourth event, Code Of Silence (Shamus Award) was unplaced.
