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 Tuesday, including a Written Tycoon filly on debut and an I Am Immortal filly battling it out on the Ballarat-Synthetic and an internationally-bred son of Curlin (USA) debuting at Grafton.
Sportsbet Ballarat-Synthetic, Race 1, 1.30pm AEST, Whitford Liquid Waste Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1000m
Daella, 3-year-old filly (Written Tycoon x Visenya (Fastnet Rock))
The Cliff Brown-trained Daella (Written Tycoon) will travel to the Ballarat-Synthetic on Tuesday to make her debut over 1000 metres.
The well-bred filly is by Written Tycoon and is the first foal from the Fastnet Rock mare Visenya, who was placed on the track in New Zealand.
The family page is a little quiet up close in regards to stakes horses but there are plenty of stallions and top class horses that feature within the page. Daella’s grandam is Rex Is A Star (Encosta De Lago), she is a full sister to Rubick, and a three-quarter-sister to Manhattan Rain, Echoes Of Heaven and Precious Lorraine (Encosta De Lago). Other Group winners that feature within the family are the legendary Redoute’s Choice, Platinum Scissors, Superior Sateen, Monsoon Wedding (Danehill {USA}), Salameh (Secret Savings {USA}), Umatilla (NZ), Hilal, Shoals (Fastnet Rock), Schwarz (Zoustar) and Hurricane Sky.
Daella as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Visenya since producing Daella has left a 2-year-old filly named Vaella (So You Think {NZ}), a yearling filly by Wootton Bassett (GB) and is due to foal next month to Arrowfield Stud’s Dundeel (NZ).
Daella was a $240,000 purchase by Cliff Brown Racing Pty Ltd from the draft of Parsons Creek at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Sportsbet Ballarat-Synthetic, Race 1, 1.30pm AEST, Brandt Mdn P., $27,000, 1200m
Ferrytail, 3-year-old filly (I Am Immortal x Rain Cloud (Domesday))
The Warrnambool based-trainer Lindsey Smith saddles up Ferrytail (I Am Immortal) to have her third start over 1200 metres on the Ballarat-Synthetic on Tuesday. She ran a good race on debut on the Ballarat-Synthetic over 1000 metres on July 16 when she run fourth and was running on strongly from back in the field behind Wangandary (Time For War), at her last start she was okay when plugging away over the shorter 975 metres at Swan Hill
I Am Immortal has made a promising start to his stud career leaving four winners from his first 2-year-olds last season including the smart stakes-placed Immortal Star and the very progressive I Am Velvet who has a record of three wins from three starts and looks a stakes-quality filly of the future.
I Am Immortal | Standing at Swettenham Stud
The sharply-bred filly is the third foal from the Domesday mare Rain Cloud, who was unraced on the track but is well-related being a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Shared Reflections (Umatilla {NZ}) who has also gone on to leave three winners including Fiery Trail (Northern Meteor), Infinite Advantage (More Than Ready {USA}), and the prolific thirteen-time winner Smart Image (Smart Missile).
Rain Cloud has made a promising start to her broodmare career leaving the smart Queen Air (Toronado {Ire}) who has won twice at 1300 metres and 2050 metres and been classy enough to place in the G1 VRC Oaks and run fourth placings in the G2 Wakeful S., and the G2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic.
Rain Cloud, since producing Fairytail, has left an I Am Immortal 2-year-old colt and is due to foal to Toronado (Ire) this month.
Grafton, Race 1, 12.30pm AEST, CRJC Premiership Winners Race Day Mdn H., $27,000, 1410m
Half Listening (USA), 4-year-old gelding (Curlin (USA) x Chintz {NZ} {Savabeel})
Grafton’s Tuesday meeting will serve as the venue for the debut of Half Listening (Curlin {USA}), He has had three educational trials in preparation for this raceday assignment at Rosehill, Deagon and Murwillumbah.
Half Listening is by the top class American sire in Curlin (USA) and has a strong international and colonial pedigree with his page full of influential stallions including Smart Strike (USA), Smart Strike (Can), Deputy Minister (Can), Last Tycoon (Ire), Vice Regent (Can), Savabeel, O’Reilly (NZ) and Oncidium (NZ).
Curlin (USA) | Standing at Hill N Dale Farms, USA
His dam Chintz (NZ) was a six-time winner in New Zealand which included the G2 Rich Hill Mile and the G3 Westbury Classic. She was also placed in the G1 Easter H., G2 Japan/New Zealand International Trophy and the G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders S.
She has already been successful in the broodmare shed leaving the talented and durable Cambridge Stud-owned gelding, Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt). He has been a seven-time winner and he tasted success in the G2 Wakefield Challenge S., Listed Hareeba S., and the Listed Chester Manifold S.
Other top class stakes-performers within this top class pedigree are Chenille (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) the G1 Auckland Cup winning mare, Seraphic (NZ) (Imposing), Irlanda (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), Mo’unga (NZ), Super Photon (NZ) (Super Seth) and She’s A Treasure (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}).
Looking Back
Embassy (I Am Invincible) ran a solid second at Wyong, he was narrowly beat by a smart filly in Lilac (Justify {USA}), a deserved maiden win does not look far away.
Mermaid Cove (I Am Invincible) was unfortunately scratched, she will keep for another day.
