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 Australia on Friday, including a promising Justify (USA) filly that looks ready to go well on debut and a So You Think (NZ) colt also on debut at Cranbourne. At Scone we have a well-bred Daiwa Major (Jpn) gelding looking for a maiden victory after getting relegated last start after crossing the line first.
Cranbourne, Race 1, 5.15pm AEST, Rosemont Stud 3YO Fillies Mdn Plate, $40,000, 1200m
Fontaine Rouge, 3-year-old filly (Justify {USA} x Fontein Ruby {Turffontein})
The Ciaron Maher-trained Justify (USA) filly Fontaine Rouge will be making her debut at Cranbourne on Friday over 1200 metres.
This well-bred filly is out of the Turffontein mare Fontein Ruby, who was a six-time winner from 1200 metres to 2000 metres including the G2 Edward Manifold S., G3 Norman Robinson S., and the Listed Alexandra S.
She holds a very interesting pedigree-pattern being by a son of Johannesburg (USA) in Justify and out of a mare that is a grand-daughter of Johannesburg through Turffontein. This gives Fontaine Rouge a 3 x 3 male cross of the son of Hennessy (USA) in Johannesburg.
Fontaine Rouge as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
She has also been successful at stud leaving two individual winners including the stakes-winner Parure (Fastnet Rock) who won the G2 Autumn Classic, and the winner Steamboat Rock (Fastnet Rock).
Fontein Ruby is also a half-sister to The Mitigator (Master Of Design) who was a nine-time winner including the G1 Thorndon Mile and the G3 Eagle Technology S. Other top-level stakes performers in the family include Palumbo (Sebring), Cardinal Gem (Choisir), Infinite Grace (Prince Of Birds), Total Attraction (Nadeem) and Pretty In Pink (Sebring).
Since producing Fontaine Rouge, Fontein Ruby has produced a 2-year-old gelding named Straffan (I Am Invincible), a yearling filly by I Am Invincible, a weanling filly by Home Affairs and was served again by Coolmore Stud's promising sire Home Affairs in the spring.
Fontaine Rouge was a $500,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock from the draft of Coolmore Stud at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Cranbourne, Race 2, 5.45pm, AEST, Ladbrokes Easy Form 3YO Mdn Plate., $40,000, 1400m
Kirin, 3-year-old colt (So You Think {NZ} x Third Degree {Northern Meteor})
The Cranbourne based-trainer Greg Eurell saddles up Kirin (So You Think {NZ}) to make his debut over 1400 metres on his home-track on Friday.
This promising colt is the fourth foal from the Northern Meteor mare Third Degree, who was a winner at 1300 metres. Third Degree has only left the one winner in Penso (So You Think) but has a great pedigree and is well-related.
Third Degree is a half-sister to the Group 1 winner and stallion D‘Argento who was the victor in the G1 Rosehill Guineas and has made a very promising start to his stud career leaving two stakes-placed horses in Rag Queen and Silva ‘n’ Suave. She is also a half-sister to another two stakes-placed horses in Diamonds Choice (So You Think) and Fullazaboot-Hello Beauty (HK) (Sepoy).
Kirin as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Other Group-performers in the pedigree include Loving Cup (Bluebird {USA}), Star Of Bombay (NZ) (Atlante), Royal Rumble (New Approach {Ire}), Attrition (Churchill {Ire}), Quantico (I Am Invincible), Written Dash (Written Tycoon) and the stallion Sizzling.
Kirin was a $250,000 purchase by Golden River Investments/All Winners Thoroughbreds from the draft of Element Hill at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Scone, Race 1, 11.35am, AEST, Select Events Country Boosted Mdn Plate, $50,000, 1300m
Conspirator, 3-year-old gelding (Daiwa Major {Jpn} x Get Closer {Jpn} {Wild Rush {USA})
The Australian-bred but heavily Japanese influenced Conspirator, is set to have his second start over 1300 metres for Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich at Scone on Friday. On debut he ran very well at Muswellbrook on May 3 over 1000 metres when he won the race but was relegated back to second after racing greenly. Going off that run he looks very hard to beat in this race.
Conspirator is by Daiwa Major (Jpn) and is out of the Wild Rush (USA) mare Get Closer (Jpn). She was a two-time winner on the track over 1800 metres in Japan and has left the two-time winner Close Combat (Jpn) (Kinshasha No Kiseki {Jpn}).
Daiwa Major (Jpn) | Standing at Shadai Stallion Station, Japan
Get Closer is a half-sister to Satono Titan (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S {USA}) who was successful in the G3 March S., and the Listed Brazil Cup and Machikanenihombare (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S) who was the victor in the G3 Niigata Elm S., Listed Sapporo Marine S., and the Listed Tokyo Brilliant S.
Get Closer, since producing Conspirator, has left a Castelvecchio yearling colt, a Shalaa (Ire) weanling colt and was most recently served by Arrowfield Stud's stallion Castelvecchio again last spring.
Looking Back
True Amor (I Am Invincible) was scratched from his race at Gosford, he will keep for another day.
At Pakenham Lovey (Spirit Of Boom) ran a great race running second, she only went down a head after running on strongly from back in the field. Dream All Day (NZ) (Savabeel) was good on debut, she ran on nicely to place third and only peaked on her run late. She is one to follow.
