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 early in its career chasing maiden success, 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 exciting runners are set to hit the track across New Zealand and Australia on Thursday including a Better Than Ready two-year-old filly chasing maiden success at Rockhampton, a nicely related Universal Ruler half-brother to Portland Sky debuting on the Pinjarra Scarpside track and a The Autumn Sun filly looking to win her maiden on debut at Wagga.
Rockhampton, Race 1, 1.12pm AEST, Save The Date Rocky Cup July 13 QTIS 2YO Maiden H., $23,000, 1200m
Better Than Words, 2-year-old filly (Better Than Ready x Spread The Word {Denman})
The well-bred Better Than Ready filly Better Than Words is set to have her second start over 1200 metres for Rockhampton trainer John Wigginton on her home-track on Thursday. At her first start Better Than Words ran a very creditable runner-up placing after storming home from well back in the field on the same course on April 18 over 1100m behind the promising Astra Star (Cosmic Force).
Better Than Words is the third foal out of the Denman mare Spread The Word, who was unraced on the track. She has already left a winner at stud with Gospel Girl (Epaulette) winning on debut at Doomben.
Better Than Words as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The second dam of Better Than Words is the classy End Sweep (USA) mare Only Words, she was very talented on the track winning the G2 Surround S., G2 Phar Lap S., G2 Sir Byrne Hart S., and the G3 South Pacific Classic. She also placed in the G1 All Aged S., and the G1 TJ Smith S.
She has also become an extremely good broodmare leaving eight-individual winners. Including Group winners Chat (Deep Field) who was the victor in the G2 Theo Marks S., and Holy Snow (Fastnet Rock) who won the G2 Autumn S.
Her other winners include Word Gets Around (Encosta De Lago), Matter Of Choice (Redoute’s Choice), Vandalised (Flying Spur), Mr Bee Gee (Northern Meteor), Black Swan (Sebring) and Grimoire (Magic Albert),
Spread The Word has failed to produce a live foal since Better Than Words but was most recently served by the young staying stallion Ghaiyyath (Ire).
Pinjarra-Scarpside, Race 2, 3.33pm AEST (1.33pm local) Stable Affairs Mdn., $25,000, 1200m
History Won’t Care, 3-year-old gelding (Universal Ruler x Sky Rumba {Shrewd Rhythm})
Pinjarra-Scarpside’s Thursday meeting will serve as the starting point for the career of History Won’t Care, a well-bred son of Universal Ruler from the Jason Miller stable at Karnup.
History Won’t Care is the fourth-live foal out of the Shrewd Rhythm mare, Sky Rumba. She was placed on the track but has had outstanding success as a broodmare.
She has left two-winners including the Matt Laurie trained Portland Sky who now stands at Widden Stud Victoria. He was successful four-times on the track including victory when dead-heating in the G1 Oakleigh P., as well as the G3 Red Anchor S., and the G3 Manfred S. He also placed in the G1 William Reid S., and the G2 Ian McEwen S. Her other winner on the track was the Blackfriar gelding Above The Peg, he saluted the judge six-times from 1100 metres to 1600 metres.
History Won’t Care as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
History Won’t Care has an interesting pedigree which is an extended cross of the famous Sadler’s Wells (USA) x Danehill (USA) combination which also produced the Champion Frankel (GB) via Galileo (Ire). Universal Ruler comes from the Sadler’s Wells sire line while Shrewd Rhythm is from the Danehill line through Danehill’s talented sire-son Danehill Dancer (Ire).
Sky Rumba since producing History Won’t Care has delivered a two-year-old filly named Brief Romance (Universal Ruler), a weanling colt by St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) and was most recently served in the spring by the exciting sprinting stallion Cosmic Force
History Won’t Care was a $200,000 purchase by Jason Miller Racing from the draft of Dawson Stud at the 2022 Magic Million Perth Yearling Sale.
Wagga, Race 1, 12.25pm AEST, Sheathers Painting and Decorating 2YO Showcase H., $30,000, 1200m
Snow In May, 2-year-old filly (The Autumn Sun x See You Soon {Siyouni} {Fr})
Snow In May, a daughter of Arrowfield Stud’s in-form young stallion The Autumn Sun, will make her debut for Randwick trainer John O’Shea after running second in two trials leading up to this assignment.
The well-bred filly is the first foal from the Siyouni (Fr) mare See You Soon, who was a winner as a juvenile and group-placed in the G2 Reisling S., and the G2 Percy Sykes S.
She is very well-related being a half-sister to The Blue Eye (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who won twenty times from 1200 metres up to 2400 metres in France and Qatar, including four-times at Listed level.
Snow In May as a yearling | Image courtesy Inglis
See You Soon’s dam Soneva (USA) (Cherokee Run {USA}) was also a classy performer who won four-times including the G3 Prix d’Aumale, G3 Prix de Lieurey, Listed Prix La Camargo and the Listed Meydan Cape Verdi S.
See You Soon since producing Snow In May has left a yearling filly also by The Autumn Sun and has since been exported to France in May 2023.
Snow In May sold for $150,000 at the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale with John O’Shea Racing/Suman Hedge Bloodstock FBAA being the successful purchaser from the draft of Attunga Stud.
Looking Back:
A good day for our selctions on Wednesday: Sunset Boulevard (Eminent {Ire}) was impressive winning at Ruakaka, he sat handy in the run and finished off strongly, he looks a potential stayer with promise. Toque (Street Boss {USA}) was an easy winner at Canterbury Park, she led all the way and never gave any other runners a chance, winning comfortably. Commandoro (I Am Invincible) was disapointing at Ipswich running seventh.
