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 3-year-olds are set to hit the track at Cranbourne on Thursday, including a Kingman (GB) gelding that ran very well on debut, a well bred Justify (USA) filly makes her first start and an Alabama Express colt looks ready to win his maiden after showing promise on debut.
Cranbourne, Race 1, 1pm, AEST, Rosemont Stud 3YO Mdn P., $27,000, 1200m
King West, 3-year-old gelding (Kingman (GB) x Omneeya (GB) {Frankel {GB})
Cranbourne’s Thursday meeting will serve as the venue for the second start for the well-bred King West. Trained by the newest member of the Group 1 training club in Enver Jusufovic, he debuted nicely at Moe on August 18 over 1017 metres when placing second behind the promising Chinqui (Harry Angel {Ire}).
King West is by Juddmonte Stud’s outstanding sire in Kingman (GB) and further has a Juddmonte flavour to his breeding being out of a mare by the legendary Frankel (GB). She has a strong pedigree with her page full of influential international stallions including Danzig (USA), Galileo (Ire), Pivotal (GB), Dancing Brave (USA), Danehill (USA), Woodman (USA) and The Minstrel (Can).
King West as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Her dam Omneeya (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was placed on the track in Great Britain and has already left one winner before being exported to Australia. Pride Of Derry (GB) (Pride Of Dubai) was successful in Ireland over 1500 metres before carrying on his career in Hong Kong. Since producing King West, Omneeya has produced a 2-year-old filly by Pride Of Dubai, a yearling filly by Maurice (Jpn) and is due to foal to Pride Of Dubai again next month.
King West was a $100,000 purchase by Enver Jusofovic Racing/Gary Mudgway from the draft of Valiant Stud at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Cranbourne, Race 2, 1.30pm, AEST, Get your Pinker Pinker tickets today 3YO Fillies Mdn P., $37,500, 1300m
Sweet Justice, 3-year-old filly (Justify (USA) x Sweet Sanette (Saf) {Jallad {USA})
Sweet Justice, a daughter of Coolmore Stud’s classy stallion Justify (USA), will make her debut at Cranbourne for trainer’s Ben, Will and JD Hayes after having a quiet trial at Benella in November last year. This well-bred filly is the third foal from the Jallad (USA) mare Sweet Sanette (Saf), who was a winner eight-times on the track including at Group level in South Africa and Listed level in Hong Kong.
Sweet Justice as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Sweet Sanette has left five individual winners on the track including Sweet Rockette (Fastnet Rock) who won at 1200 metres and was placed in the G3 Scarborough S., Her other winners have been Invincible Rock (Fastnet Rock), Royal Dress (I Am Invincible), Chianti (I Am Invincible) and Fast ‘n’ Rolling (Fastnet Rock).
Sweet Justice is very well-related and has a strong American family full of black-type, some strong stallion pedigree influences that are prominent are Scat Daddy (USA), Pulpit (USA), Ghostzapper (USA), Triple Bend (USA) and Danzig (USA).
Sweet Justice sold for $160,000 at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale with Lindsay Park Racing being the successful purchaser from the draft of Coolmore Stud.
Cranbourne, Race 3, 2pm, AEST, Celebrate Christmas on the Southside Mdn P., $37,500, 1400m
Gas Brigade, 3-year-old colt (Alabama Express x Orange Flame (NZ) {Sweet Orange {USA})
The Nathan Dunn-trained and Yulong Investments Ltd bred and owned Gas Brigade (Alabama Express) will be having his second start at Cranbourne on Thursday. On debut at Echuca he ran a very good narrow second placing over 1312 metres on August 11 behind the progressive filly Navy Heart (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}).
This well-bred colt is out of the Sweet Orange (USA) mare Orange Flame (NZ), who was unraced on the track but has plenty of talented sprinting relations close-up in her pedigree.
Gas Brigade as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Orange Flame is a full-sister to Khimar War (Sweet Orange) the six-time winner up to 1400 metres and was also placed in the Listed Great Easter H. Another sibling is her half-sister Flame Of Sydney (Encosta De Lago), she was a Listed winner on the track and group-placed, but has been even better at stud leaving the G1 winning and producing stallion Invader who won the G1 Sires’ Produce S., and the talented sprinter Not Listenin’Tome (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) who has been a five-time Group and Listed winner in Hong Kong and Australia.
Since Producing Gas Brigade, Orange Flame has produced a 2-year-old colt by Alabama Express, a yearling filly by Tagaloa and unfortunately slipped to Diatonic (Jpn) from last spring's mating.
Looking Back
At Warwick Farm Mr Artemisia (The Autumn Sun) ran a very good third after making his run wide on the track, Johnny The Kid (Trapeze Artist) was prominent on the speed in the same race and ran a gallant fourth, only fading late. Both of these colts should be picking up a maiden win shortly.
Rapid Cheval (NZ) (Super Seth) put in a very good effort on debut at the Sunshine Coast, she made very good ground from back in the field very wide out and only peaked on her run late, she is one to watch.
