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.
The nicely bred fillies Hurricane Georgie (Toronado {Ire}) and Ti Amo Tanto (Fastnet Rock) are amongst the main fancies in their respective races at Sandown and Canterbury tomorrow.
Sandown, Race 2, 1.35pm AEST, Senet Gambling Law Experts BM64, $50,000, 1400m
Hurricane Georgie, 3-year-old filly (Toronado {Ire}) x Edwina Georgie {Testa Rossa})
Shuffled back after showing early pace at her Sandown debut a few weeks ago, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained Hurricane Georgie did a good job to finish fourth with the winner Daggers (I Am Invincible) reinforcing that form by leading throughout with an impressive performance at Moonee Valley last Saturday.
Bred by Boom Racing, she was purchased by the stable with Astute Bloodstock for $200,000 at last year's Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Hurricane Georgie as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
By the always in-form Swettenham Stud stallion Toronado, Hurricane Georgie is out of the very successful broodmare Edwina Georgie, dam of the Group 3 Spring S. winner Pierossa (Pierro) and the Listed winner Ploverset (Street Boss {USA}) and grandam of the G3 VRC Thoroughbred Breeders S. winner Bossy Nic (Nicconi).
Hailing from the family of the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Uncommon James (Cable Bay {Ire}) and the G1 Levin Classic winner Southern Lord (Stratum), Hurricane Georgie is bred on the same Toronado/Testa Rossa cross as the Showdown Plate, Hong Kong Group placegetter Prince Of Sussex.
Toronado enjoyed a prolific 2023/24 season with 145 winners of 221 races with big race success enjoyed by his imported G1 Doomben Cup winning son Bois d'Argent (GB).
Canterbury, Race 2, 2.00pm AEST, TAB Handicap, $100,000, 1250m
Ti Amo Tanto, 3-year-old filly (Fastnet Rock x Asavant (NZ) {Zabeel {NZ})
Champion trainer Chris Waller has a big hand in this contest with five runners, one of those being the Go Bloodstock home-bred Ti Amo Tanto who is being kept safe at her debut.
She has trialled soundly at Rosehill on two occasions, both times with James McDonald aboard and he sticks with her for her first start.
She is by the retired Champion Sire Fastnet Rock whose impressive tally sits at 193 stakes winners with an excellent overall strike rate of 71 per cent.
Fastnet Rock | Image courtesy of Coolmore
That is also the strike rate of this Fastnet Rock/Zabeel cross; that sire and dam sire coming together in 49 winners with eight of those being stakes winners including the Group 1 horses Avantage, Atlantic Jewel and Planet Rock.
Ti Amo Tanto is a full sister to Avantage who in October 2017 made her debut a winning one, going on to another 15 wins from her 28 starts; nine of her successes coming in Group 1 company.
Ti Amo Tanto and Avantage's Listed winning dam Asavant has also produced the Listed winner Asathought (So You Think {NZ}) and her dam is the G3 White Robe Lodge H. winner Pins 'N' Needles (NZ) (Pins).
Looking Back
Noire Emperor (Written Tycoon) started favourite in R4 at Seymour, battling away from close to the pace whilst Mighty Zou (Zoustar) was second favourite in R3 at Tamworth but also out of the placings.
