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 Wednesday, including a beautifully-bred Zoustar filly chasing maiden success on debut and an I Am Invincible colt having his second start battling it out at Warwick Farm, and a nicely related Justify (USA) filly having her second start at Sandown after running well for third on debut.
Warwick Farm, Race 2, 12.50pm, AEST, Drinkwise Plate, $100,000, 1100m
Silver Wedding, 2-year-old filly (Zoustar x Summer Sham {Not A Single Doubt)
The well-related Silver Wedding (Zoustar) is set to make her debut over 1100 metres for Ciaron Maher on the back of two educational trials where she has finished fourth and fifth at Warwick Farm and Rosehill respectively.
Silver Wedding is the second live-foal from the Not A Single Doubt mare Summer Sham. She was the winner of the G2 Angus Armanasco S., on the track and has had success as a broodmare already leaving Schwarz (Zoustar) who has won the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas and the Listed Amanda Elliot H.
Schwarz himself was a $1,250,000 purchase by the Rosemont-Victorian Alliance/Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/David Redvers Bloodstock from the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Silver Wedding as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Keeping up the big yearling results from the mare, Silver Wedding sold for $800,000 at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale with Cambridge Stud being the successful purchaser from the draft of Widden Stud.
Silver Wedding’s third dam is the Giant’s Causeway (USA) mare Unspoken Choice, she herself is a half-sister to the late Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice and Group 1 winners and stallions Manhattan Rain and Platinum Scissors.
Silver Wedding holds an interesting pedigree pattern, duplicating the great stallion Redoute’s Choice 3 x 3, her sire Zoustar is out of a Redoute’s Choice mare and her dam is by Not A Single Doubt, who is a son of Redoute’s Choice.
Summer Sham since producing Silver Wedding has produced yearling and weanling full-brothers by Zoustar and she was served by the super stallion Zoustar again last spring.
Warwick Farm, Race 2, 12.50pm, AEST, Drinkwise Plate, $100,000, 1100m
True Amor, 2-year-old colt (I Am Invincible x My True Love {Fastnet Rock)
True Amor, a son of Australia's Champion Sire I Am Invincible, will have his second start at Warwick Farm for John O’Shea on Wednesday. This comes on the back of a very impressive trial win at the Rosehill track on May 2 over 900 metres and then an okay fourth at Warwick Farm on debut on May 23 when only fading late in the piece after working a bit hard early behind Equipage (Lonhro).
True Amor is the second foal from the Fastnet Rock mare My True Love, who was a three time winner and also placed in the G2 Dane Ripper S., and the G3 Sunshine Coast Guineas. She has so far produced Miss Amore (Pierro) who has been a winner over 1200 metres to kick-start her breeding career.
True Amor as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Further back in the pedigree page are the Group-performers Lectrice (Encosta De Lago), Leica Guv (NZ) (Deputy Governor {USA}), Light Fantastic (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Whatalovelyday (Domesday) who is the dam of the recent Group 1 victor Benedetta (Hellbent) who was successful in the G1 Goodwood S.
True Amor was a $550,000 purchase by Kitchwin Hills from the draft of Lustre Lodge at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
My True Love, since producing True Amor, has left a yearling filly by Capitalist and a weanling colt by Written Tycoon.
Sportsbet Sandown Lakeside, Race 1, 12.25pm, AEST, Sportsbet Nobody Does It Easier P., $100,000, 1400m
Fontaine Rouge, 3-year-old filly (Justify {USA} x Fontein Ruby {Turffontein})
The Ciaron Maher-trained Justify (USA) filly Fontaine Rouge will be having her second start at Sandown on Wednesday. On debut at Cranbourne she ran a solid third when she made very good ground late from back in the field, the step up to 1400 metres looks ready made for her.
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 Caulfield C., 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 C., 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 two-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 Home Affairs in the spring.
Fontaine Rouge was a $500,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock from the draft of Coolmore Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
Lenape Vibe (Maurice (Jpn) and Regina Star (Kingman (GB) were disappointing in their races but Henlein (Dundeel {NZ}) was impressive winning at Bendigo, he looks an exciting colt to follow
