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.
Two interesting first-starters will step-out on Sunday, including a 2-year-old son of Widden Stud's Star Witness.
Sunshine Coast, Race 1, 2.34pm AEDT (1.34pm local), NDSIP Housing QTIS 2YO Mdn Plate, $30,000, 1000m
Barnacus, 2-year-old colt (Star Witness x Tocokoe {Epaulette})
Barnacus will debut for Liam Birchley on Sunday at the Sunshine Coast. The son of Star Witness was bred and is co-owned by P D Tuxworth with J M J Rodney.
The colt is the first foal from winning Epaulette mare Tocokoe. She has a colt by Prince Fawaz and was served by King’s Legacy last spring. Barnacus is a great-grandson of Hot Princess (GB) (Hot Spark {Ire}), who won six races, including the Listed Ballycorus.
Star Witness | Standing at Widden Stud
Hot Princess was also placed in the G3 Ballyogan S. At stud, she produced 13 foals, of which 10 raced, resulting in seven winners headed by Rodrigo De Triano (USA), who won the G1 Middle Park S., the G1 Champion S., the G1 York International S. and the English and Irish 2000 Guineas.
Another significant winner on the page is Chance To Dance (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), a victor of the G3 Alison S., who finished fourth in the G2 Adelaide Cup.
Sale, Race 2, 1.55pm AEDT, Collegians Cricket Club Celebrating 50 Years Mdn Plate, $37,500, 1106m
Wokou, 3-year-old filly (Saxon Warrior {Jpn} x Misty Rock {Fastnet Rock})
The Cranbourne-based trainers Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock will debut Wokou, a daughter of the royally bred Saxon Warrior (Jpn), at Sale on Sunday.
Wokou is the second foal from the Fastnet Rock mare Misty Rock. She is the dam of the R. Listed Inglis Nursery winner Pacific Padrino (Street Boss {USA}), who also finished fourth in the G2 Skyline S. and the G3 Blue Sapphire S.
Misty Rock has an unnamed filly by Brutal (NZ) and a yearling filly by North Pacific. Misty Rock was served by Capitalist last spring.
Wokou as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Wokou’s third dam, Beauty Bright (Ire) (Danehill {USA}), won the G3 Renaissance and is a half-sister to the Listed Roy Higgins winner Aloft (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
The filly was a $30,000 purchase by Paul Willetts Bloodstock Consultancy from the Newgate Consignment at the 2021 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale. Newhaven Park reoffered Wokou at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where Griffiths de Kock Racing, Peter Ford Thoroughbreds (FBAA) and Heywood Bloodstock secured her for $210,000.
Looking Back
Bittercreek (Snitzel) provided the best result from Saturday's selections when he was placed in the Listed Talindert S. at Flemington. Meanwhile, Eject (Street Boss {USA}) was unplaced in that event. Rounding out our selections was Duvana (Dundeel {NZ}), who finished fifth behind Switzerland (Snitzel) in the Pierro Plate at Randwick.
