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.
Three runners are set to hit the track across Australia on Thursday. We have runners by Lope de Vega (Ire), War Front (USA) and Fastnet Rock searching for a maiden win after showing promise in previous starts.
Sportsbet-Pakenham, Race 6, 8.15pm AEDT, Bunyip Equipment Mdn Plate, $40,000, 1400m
Nakoa, 4-year-old mare (War Front {USA} x Liscanna {Ire} {Sadler’s Wells {USA}})
Pakenham’s Thursday meeting will serve as the venue for Nakoa’s second start after charging home for fifth on debut on the Sandown-Hillside course over 1300 metres.
Nakoa is by the top class American sire in War Front (USA) and has a strong international pedigree with her page full of influential stallions including Danzig (USA), Sadler’s Wells (USA), Danehill Dancer (Ire), Private Account (USA) and Be My Guest (USA).
Her dam Liscanna (Ire) was a two-time winner on the track which included the G3 Ballyogan S.
War Front (USA) | Standing at Claiborne Farm
In the breeding barn she has flourished and has produced eight winners including three Group 1 winners across the world. These are Opera Singer (USA) (Justify {USA}) the winner of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, Brave Anna (USA) (War Front) who was victorious in the G1 Cheveley Park S., and Hit It A Bomb (USA) (War Front) who won the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Adding to this she has also produced two other stakes-placegetters by War Front in Border Town (USA) and Threeandfourpence (USA).
Nakoa was a US$275,000 (AU$420,460) purchase by Mick Price Racing from the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With that pedigree behind her, no matter what she does on the track she will be a very valuable broodmare when she heads to the breeding barn.
Sportsbet-Pakenham, Race 1, 1.45pm AEDT, Sheen Panel Service Pakenham Mdn Plate, $40,000, 2000m
Tertulia (Ire), 4-year-old mare (Lope De Vega {Ire} x Anna’s Rock {Ire} {Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}})
The well-bred Lope De Vega (Ire) mare Tertulia (Ire) is set to have her third start over 2000 metres for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr at Pakenham on the back of a very promising first-up performance on the same track running on well from back in the field over the mile distance. It looks like 2000 metres is going to be her friend as she looks a genuine staying type of mare.
Tertulia is a daughter of Ballylinch Stud’s classy sire Lope De Vega (Ire) and is out of Anna’s Rock (Ire) . She was a two-time winner on the track and her wins included Listed success in the Tipperary Fairy Bridge S.
Lope De Vega (Ire) | Standing at Ballylinch Stud
She has become a very successful broodmare and her progeny includes five individual winners with the best of them being the five-time stakes winner Breton Rock (Ire) (Bahamian Bounty {GB})
Tertulia was a 150,000 gns (AU$305,000) purchase by Mick Price Racing Australia/D Farrington from the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 1).
Hawkesbury, Race 1, 1.15pm AEDT, Hawkesbury Cup Day 4 May Super Mdn, $60,000, 1500m
Wizards, 3-year-old gelding (Fastnet Rock x Dreams And Wishes {Galileo} {Ire}})
The well-bred Fastnet Rock gelding Wizards is set to have his second start over 1500 metres for trainer Ciaron Maher at Hawkesbury on Thursday. At his first start Wizards ran a very creditable sixth after not having a lot of luck at the top of the straight on the same course on March 9 over 1300 metres.
Wizards is the fifth foal out of the beautifully bred Galileo (Ire) mare Dreams And Wishes who was successful on two occasions over the mile distance.
Wizards as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The second dam of Wizards is the Jade Hunter (USA) mare Procrastinate, she was talented on the track being a Group 3 winner but excelled as a broodmare leaving five individual stakes winners. These winners were the Champion South African Sprinter Laisserfaire (Danehill {USA}), Foreplay (Danehill {USA}), A Time For Julia (Redoute’s Choice), Time Thief and Personify (Galileo {Ire}). Personify also has kept up the family tradition leaving the G1 VRC Oaks winner Personal (Fastnet Rock).
Dreams And Wishes has since foaled a Bivouac yearling colt, a Too Darn Hot (GB) filly foal and was most recently served by the globetrotting stallion Starspangledbanner.
Wizards was a $300,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock from the draft of Vinery Stud at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
A good day at the office for our selections. Epimeles (Dundeel {NZ}) showed a super turn of foot to win impressively on debut at Sandown. At Randwick-Kensington our two selections ran the quinella with Hezdarnhottoo (NZ) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) prevailing over Imperial Force (Snitzel).
A win looks like it is not to far away for Imperial Force (Snitzel) the $1,600,000 colt, he ran well on debut and will improve with the experience.
