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.
It’s not often you see one of Cracksman’s (GB) progeny racing in Australia, but that’s the case on Thursday, with the 3-year-old colt Bank Heist (GB) set to debut at Goulburn. In the same race, a 3 -year-old half-sister to the Group 1 heroine Mossfun (Mossman) has her first start. Elsewhere, Jonathan Munz has a well-related debutant lining up at Hamilton.
Goulburn, Race 4, 2.50pm AEDT, Kilpatrick Metal Recyclers Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1300m
Bank Heist (GB), 3-year-old colt (Cracksman {GB} x Clenor {Ire} {Oratorio {Ire}})
Highbank Stud bred this colt, who will debut in the Darby Racing silks.
He is a son of the brilliant Cracksman, himself a multiple Group 1-winning son of the great Frankel (GB).
Cracksman (GB) | Standing at Darley Europe
The colt is from a Listed-winning mare who is a half-sister to the stakes performers Another Express (Ire) (Choisir) and Celerina (Ire) (Choisir). The former raced with success as Elite Fortune in Hong Kong.
Stakes winners on the colt’s page include My-O-My (Ire) (Waajib {Ire}) and Title Roll (Ire) (Tate Gallery {USA}).
The Michael Freedman-trained Bank Heist, who has had two trials ahead of his debut, will be partnered by Andrew Adkins.
Goulburn, Race 4, 2.50pm AEDT, Kilpatrick Metal Recyclers Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1300m
Audrey’s Lane, 3-year-old filly (Pierro x Eye For Fun {Snitzel})
Equine veterinarian Dr Ian Duckworth bred this filly, who was passed in at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale when offered by Fairview Park Stud.
Audrey’s Lane is out of an unraced half-sister to the Listed winner Cat D’Antibes (Tale Of The Cat {USA}).
Audrey's Lane as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The filly is a half-sister to the 2014 G1 Golden Slipper S. victress Mossfun, and she herself has thrown the Group 3 winner Dajraan (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Audrey’s Lane is also a half-sister to the Listed winner Mawahibb (Magic Albert), who raced as Aramco in Singapore and was named Champion Sprinter there in 2019.
The Brad Widdup-trained filly is closely related to the unbeaten 2-year-old Bodyguard (I Am Invincible), who is one of the favourites for the G1 Blue Diamond S., following his impressive victory in Saturday’s G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts and Geldings).
Audrey’s Lane, who will debut in the hands of Alysha Collett, won one of her five trials.
Hamilton, Race 4, 3pm AEDT, Fishers IGA Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1400m
Medical Autocrat, 3-year-old gelding (Dundeel {NZ} x It Is What It Is {Stratum})
This gelding is a homebred for Jonathan Munz’s Pinecliff Racing.
The Team Freedman-trained Medical Autocrat is from an unraced sister to the eight-time winner, the Group 1 scorer Stratum Star.
Medical Autocrat as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
As well as Stratum Star, the gelding’s second dam, Purely Spectacular (NZ) (Pins), has thrown the dual Group 3 winner Prague, who now stands at Kia Ora Stud.
The stakes winners Raid (NZ) (Pins) and Night Raid (Vancouver) also feature prominently on the gelding’s page.
Looking Back
Following the scratching of Duvana (Dundeel {NZ}) from Race 2 at Randwick-Kensington, we were left with just the one runner on Wednesday, that being Kotaishi (Snitzel), who debuted in Race 4 in Sydney. The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding was unplaced.
