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.
Sunday brings two selections from the same race at Geelong, both well-related 3-year-olds. First of all, there's a smartly bred Fastnet Rock juvenile to watch at Sunshine Coast.
Sunshine Coast, Race 1, 12.34pm AEST, Butler McDermott Lawyers QTIS 2YO Colts and Geldings Mdn Plate, $30,000, 1000m
Storm Force Ten, 2-year-old colt (Fastnet Rock x Shrill {GB} {Shamardal {USA}})
Bred and offered by Cressfield at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, this son of Fastnet Rock passed in for $200,000. Offered again at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO In Training Sale, he was picked up by Kendrick Racing for $145,000.
Storm Force Ten as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Out of the Listed-placed Shrill (GB), his dam is a half-sister to two European stakes winners; G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Silkwood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and G2 Cherry Hinton S. winner Silent Honor (Ire) (Sunday Silence {USA}).
Trained by Stuart Kendrick, he took in two starts in February this year, narrowly missing out on the placings, and will look to get off the mark jumping from barrier three under Jake Bayliss on Sunday.
Geelong, Race 4, 2.15pm AEST, Hamilton Group Mdn Plate, $37,500, 1212m
Rule Of Time, 3-year-old filly (Sebring x Donna Amata {Anabaa {USA}})
Returning to action having last been seen in September 2022, Rule Of Time will look to extend a good weekend for her trainers Leon and Troy Corstens as she heads to Geelong on Sunday.
The filly was placed in both of her two lifetime starts last spring, and will be ridden by Jye McNeil from barrier three.
Sebring
Bred by Gerry Harvey and sold through the draft of his Baramul Stud at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling, Rule Of Time was a $125,000 purchase for Malua Bloodstock.
She is out of the placed mare Donna Amata and is a half-sister to two stakes winners in Roy’s Riviera (All Too Hard), a Group 3 winner in South Africa, and Sebring Sally (Sebring), winner of the Listed Strutt S. and runner-up in the G2 The Roses S.
Geelong, Race 4, 2.15pm AEST, Hamilton Group Mdn Plate, $37,500, 1212m
Pickaxe, 3-year-old gelding (Pierro x Imposing Lass {NZ} {Makfi {GB}})
Out of the G3 Belle of the Turf S. winner Imposing Lass (NZ), Pickaxe is the first foal to race for his dam and was a $450,000 purchase for Ciaron Maher Bloodstock at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He was bred in a partnership between Laurel Oak Bloodstock, Grant Bloodstock and Carpe Diem Syndicate, behind whom sit the familiar names of Louis Mihalyka, Steve Grant and Ken and Maree Lowe.
Pickaxe as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
They sold the mare on to Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) for $450,000 at last year’s Inglis Chairman's Sale, who will be hoping she can find her first winner with a Snitzel filly foal born last year.
Following a promising second on debut at Sandown earlier this month, Pickaxe looks to get off the mark with Linda Meech aboard, though the pair will have to overcome barrier 13.
Looking Back
There was no joy with Saturday's selections. Peter Moody's 2-year-old colt Ablett (Zoustar) managed only eighth in the opener at The Valley, before Sheva (Written Tycoon), Ben and JD Hayes 2-year-old filly, finished back in sixth in the next. However, Richard and Will Freedman's 2-year-old colt Etched In Time (Written Tycon) ran a promising second on debut at Newcastle.
