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 Kembla Grange, we look at a well-trialled filly from a Group 2 winner, while at Pakenham on the synthetic, we pay attention to a juvenile gelding whose dam is very well-related. In Western Australia, a Bob Peters gelding from a dual stakes-winner has got our attention.
Kembla Grange, Race 4, 2.10pm AEST, Nevin, Polkinghorne, Chidiac – 2YO Mdn, $40,000, 1000m
Lady Of Poise, 2-year-old filly (Trapeze Artist x Blueberry Hill {Myboycharlie {Ire}})
This filly is the third foal from the mare Blueberry Hill, who won the G2 BRC Champagne Classic and the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic, the latter a known producer of good breeders. Blueberry Hill is a granddaughter of the Brief Truce (USA) mare Brief Kiss, who was a dual stakes winner from the same family as Rebel Raider and Jungle Edge (Dubawi {Ire}).
Lady Of Poise was bred by Zhongli Thoroughbreds in the Southern Highlands and consigned by Fairview Park Stud to the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She was passed in with a reserve of $250,000 and retained to race by her breeder.
Lady Of Poise as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The filly is trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and she has been well-trialled. In the latest on June 30, she won over 1040 metres at Randwick, leading home the well-bred Caballus (I Am Invincible). In this debut, she has jockey Regan Bayliss from barrier 10.
Pakenham-Synthetic, Race 4, 2.30pm AEST, Dalton Consulting Engineers 2YO Mdn, $37,500, 1000m
Let's Get Down, 2-year-old gelding (Better Than Ready x Second Date {Rothesay})
This unraced gelding is from the Rothesay mare Second Date, who comes with a fair bit of pedigree. She is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Okahu Bay (Flying Spur), in turn the dam of the Group 2 winner Pareanui Bay (NZ) (Lonhro). The third dam on this page is the lovely Calvinia (Varick {USA}), whose four stakes winners included the smart Fireworks (Snitzel), Kosi Bay (NZ) (Spinning World {USA}) and Calveen (NZ) (Canny Lad), the latter a Champion sprinter and miler in New Zealand.
Let’s Get Down was bred by Baddock Bloodstock and consigned by Mick Talty’s Edinglassie to the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He was bought by Phillip Stokes Racing for $160,000.
Let's Get Down as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The gelding is trained by Stokes at Pakenham, who has sent him out for several jump-outs. The latest resulted in a second at home on July 4, and before that a win over 750 metres. In this debut, Let’s Get Down will have jockey Daniel Moor from barrier 12.
Pinjarra Park, Race 3, 3.57pm AEST (1.57pm local), Electrical Consultancy WA Mdn, $22,500, 1200m
Forever Boy (NZ), 2-year-old gelding (Charm Spirit {Ire} x Neverland {Big Brown {USA}})
This gelding is a homebred for Bob Peters from his mare Neverland, herself a daughter of the Kentucky Derby winner and one-time shuttler Big Brown (USA). Neverland won two Listed races in Western Australia, the WATC Challenge S. and Carbine Club of Western Australia S., and she was twice second in the G2 Perth Cup. She was a smart racemare.
Charm Spirit (Ire) | Standing at Haras du Logis Saint Germain
This is the family of such good stakes winners as Demonetization (All Too Hard), who was a three-time Group 2 winner in New Zealand, as well as the G2 Perth Cup winner Midnight Blue (So You Think {NZ}). Each of these, including Neverland, are progeny of the great producer Midnight Special (Zabeel {NZ}), while further along is featured the Group 1 winner Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}).
Forever Boy races in the Peterses colours and is trained at Hopeland in Western Australia by Takahide Ikenushi. He was a recent trial winner over 950 metres at Lark Hill, and he comes into this debut with jockey William Pike and barrier six.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Wednesday were a mixed bag. At Warwick Farm in the first event, Undivided (Rubick) was a winner while the million-dollar Northern Eyes (I Am Invincible) was unplaced. In the second race, Fickle (I Am Invincible) was a scratching.
