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 and New Zealand on Saturday, including a Written Tycoon colt making his debut at Caulfield after trialling sharply, a Proisir colt that looks ready to cap off some solid form at Rosehill and a Belardo (Ire) gelding that looks ready to strike in Listed company at Wanganui.
Caulfield, Race 1, 11.50am AEST, Dexion Victoria H., $150,000, 1100m
Earth God, 2-year-old colt (Written Tycoon x Miss Antaeus {I Am Invincible})
Earth God, a son of Yulong Stud’s super stallion Written Tycoon, will be making his debut at Caulfield for Mornington trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman after winning his most recent trial at Tatura on May 24 in impressive fashion by 5l.
The well-bred colt is the fourth foal from the I Am Invincible mare Miss Antaeus, who was a winner as a juvenile and placed in the Listed Woodland S.
Miss Antaeus’s dam Crestfallen (Rivotious {USA}) was a seven-time winner and was stakes-placed in the G3 Qld Tatt’s Winter S., Listed Glenlogan Park S., Listed Silk Stocking H., Listed Birthday Card H., and the Listed Dark Jewel C. She has also been successful as a broodmare leaving six winners.
Earth God as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Other top class performers feature in this pedigree include Testashadow (Testa Rossa), Spaceboy (Deep Field), Dusty Star (General Nediym), Emperor Of The Sun (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Australia’s super stallion Zoustar.
Miss Antaeus since producing Earth God has left a Bivouac weanling colt and was served by Too Darn Hot (GB) last spring.
Earth God was a $520,000 purchase by Yu Long Investments from the draft of Vinery Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Rosehill Gardens, Race 2, 11.35am AEST, Ranvet H., $160,000, 1300m
Omnic (NZ), 2-year-old colt (Proisir x Zanyetta {NZ} {Tavistock} {NZ})
Top trainer Ciaron Maher will prepare the well-bred colt Omnic (NZ) to have his third start at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday over 1300 metres. On debut he ran a very good second when charging home late to finish second over 1000 metres behind the promising Bucareli Bay (U S Navy Flag {USA}). At his last start he ran second again at Newcastle behind Pisces (Frosted {USA}) who looks a nice type and has run a good third again since.
Omnic is by Rich Hill Stud’s top class stallion Proisir out of the Tavistock (NZ) mare Zanyetta (NZ), she was a useful staying mare winning four races from 1600 metres up to 2100 metres.
Zanyetta is a full sister to the Listed Singapore Stewards Cup winner Titanium (NZ) (Tavistock) who won six races in total, and is out of Zanetta (NZ) (Centaine) who was an eight-time winner including the G3 Summer Cup.
Omnic (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Omnic’s pedigree suggests that he is bred to appreciate a distance of a mile and further and bringing together two strong New Zealand stallions of recent times in Proisir and Tavistock also brings a duplication of the blood brothers Sadler’s Wells (USA) and Fairy King (USA) who are out of the influential mare Fairy Bridge (USA) (Bold Reason {USA}).
Since producing Omnic, Zanyetta has produced a weanling colt also by Proisir and was left empty last spring.
Omnic was a $120,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher Racing from the draft of Highden Park at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
Wanganui, Race 3, 11.15am AEST (1.15pm local), Listed John Turkington Forestry Ltd Castletown S., $80,000, 1200m
Belardi (NZ), 2-year-old gelding (Belardo (Ire) x Japonica {Encosta De Lago)
The promising Belardo (Ire) gelding Belardi (NZ), is set to make his stakes debut and his third start over 1200 metres for the in-form Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman at Wanganui in the Listed Castletown Stakes on Saturday.
On debut he was a close-up sixth at Taranaki when he only faded late, at his second start he was brave leading all the way to win at Taupo beating the promising Bourbon Proof (Justify {USA}). He looks well-placed in this assignment to run well.
Belardi has a strong international pedigree with his pedigree full of influential stallions in particular his first three broodmare sires which are Encosta De Lago, Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) and Sadler’s Wells (USA).
Belardo (Ire) | Standing at Bearstone Stud, UK
Belardi is the fourth foal from Japonica. She was placed on the track but has already proven to be a very good broodmare. She has left four foals to race and they have all been winners, Moonlight Magic (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) has been successful in the G3 Championship S, and is a runner in the Queensland Derby on Saturday. Been A Pleasure (NZ) (Spill The Beans), Sir Zino (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) and Sasanquas (NZ) (Spill The Beans) have all also been winners.
Further back in the pedigree are the Group winners Tralee Rose (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Serenade Rose (Stravinsky {USA}), Egot (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Trekking (Street Cry {USA}).
Japonica since producing Belardi has left a weanling colt by Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and was most recently served in the spring by Cambridge Stud's Almanzor (Fr).
Looking Back
Cranbourne:
Trapezium (Trapeze Artist) was disappointing in Race 1 running sixth, we will see how she goes next time out.
Suances (The Autumn Sun) ran a very good second at race 4, a nice debut and she is one to watch.
Sweet Jasmine (So You Think {NZ}) was scratched from Race 3.
