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 Hawkesbury, we look at a pair of nice horses in the fourth race. The first is Duke Of Bronte, a Capitalist gelding whose second dam is Absolute Glam (Snowland), while the other is the well-bred Emirates Park filly Hajra (Zoustar). At Echuca, we look at a Gilgai-bred gelding from the family of Ghaiyyath (Ire).
Hawkesbury, Race 4, 2.55pm AEDT, Workers Lifestyle Group Super Mdn, $60,000, 1000m
Duke Of Bronte, 3-year-old gelding (Capitalist x Bronte {Wandjina})
This gelding is the first foal from the Wandjina mare Bronte, who is a daughter of the outstanding mare Absolute Glam. Absolute Glam won the G1 Winter S. in Queensland and G2 Moonee Valley Fillies Oaks Classic, and she was multiple times Group-placed. Bronte is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Jazz Song (Fastnet Rock) and the Group 1-placed South African filly Shaama (Redoute’s Choice).
Duke Of Bronte was bred by SF Bloodstock and consigned to the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. He was bought for $220,000 by Laurel Oak Bloodstock (FBAA).
Duke Of Bronte as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The gelding is trained by The Everest-winning Joe Pride at Warwick Farm, and he’s been promising in trials. He was second in first on September 25 at home, then a winner on October 9. In this debut he will have jockey Tyler Schiller from barrier nine.
Hawkesbury, Race 4, 2.55pm AEDT, Workers Lifestyle Group Super Mdn, $60,000, 1000m
Hajra, 3-year-old filly (Zoustar x Night Dream {Dream Ahead {USA}})
This filly is a homebred for Emirates Park, racing in its well-known white/green silks. She is the third foal from the operation’s Dream Ahead (USA) mare Night Dream, who is a half-sister to Sepoy, the Group winner Mulaazem and the stakes winner Navy Cross (I Am Invincible).
This is a very smart pedigree. Second dam Watchful is closely related to Camarilla (Elusive Quality {USA}), who is a foundation mare for the Darley operation in Australia as the dam of Guelph (Exceed And Excel) who, in turn, is the dam of Encryption. It’s a family that has produced Ghibellines and Bivouac.
Zoustar | Standing at Widden Stud
Hajra is trained by Peter and Paul Snowden at Randwick. She was good in a trial last week, the reappeared early last month for a 3-year-old prep. She has been unplaced in two trials, but comes into this debut with jockey Regan Bayliss and barrier seven.
Echuca, Race 2, 2pm AEDT, Perricoota Station 3YO Mdn, $37,500, 1100m
Depth Charge, 3-year-old gelding (Written By x Holy Cow {Teofilo {Ire}})
This gelding has all the brands behind him. Bred by Gilgai Farm, he is raced in the lightning-bolt colours of Rupert Legh and co. He is the third foal from the Teofilo (Ire) mare Holy Cow, who was Listed-placed and fourth in the G3 Tesio S. Holy Cow is a half-sister to the stakes winner Ondina (Manhattan Rain), and this is the close family of Ghaiyaath and his Champion half-sibling Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock).
Depth Charge was consigned by Gilgai to the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale where he was bought by Hawkes Racing for $260,000.
Depth Charge as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
He is trained by the Hawkes at Flemington and was recently gelded after a number of mixed jump-out results. In the latest on October 6, he was fifth of six after a promising second a week earlier. Depth Charge will head into this debut with barrier six and jockey Jake Noonan.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Wednesday went well-enough. At Caulfield, Arabian Summer (Too Darn Hot {GB}) was second in the Listed Debutant S., while Coleman (Pierata) was a winner of the same feature. At Randwick, Angel Of Spring (Harry Angel {Ire}) was unplaced.
