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-old runners are set to hit the track across Australia on Wednesday. At Warwick Farm we have a Zoustar half-sister to the outstanding Hartnell (GB), a Zoustar full sister to the exciting Schwarz and a promising Alabama Express colt looks to break his maiden at Bendigo.
Warwick Farm, Race 1, 2pm AEST, Drinkwise Mdn Plate, $100,000, 1200m
Dominetta, 3-year-old filly (Zoustar x Debonnaire {GB} {Anabaa {USA}})
Warwick Farm will serve as the venue for the second career start for Dominetta, a well-bred daughter of Zoustar trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Dominetta on debut ran a very good third at the Gold Coast over 1000 metres in the Magic Millions 2YO Fillies Debut Plate in January when she attacked the line well behind the classy Too Darn Lizzie (Too Darn Hot {GB}). After a break she has trialled three times at Randwick and looked very good in all of them, in her most recent trial on September 9 she won nicely defeating Aye Aye Captain (Merchant Navy) over 1050 metres.
Dominetta is out of the Anabaa (USA) mare, Debonnaire (GB). She was a two-time winner on the track in Great Britain but since then she has excelled as a broodmare.
Dominetta as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She has produced five winners in total and two of these have managed to be successful at stakes level. Clearly the best of them was the super tough, classy and durable Hartnell (GB) who was a 13-time winner with his major wins coming in the G1 BMW S., G1 Epsom H., G1 Turnbull S., G1 Orr S., G2 Hill S., G2 Chelmsford S., G2 PB Lawrence S., G3 Sky High S., G3 Bahrain Trophy and the Listed Queens Vase.
Roz (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) another one of Debonnaire's progeny was twice a winner as a juvenile in Great Britain including in the Listed Sandown S. and she was placed in the G1 Fillies' Mile.
Dominetta has some lovely pedigree influences within her page, with a lovely mix of Australian and American blood. Some stallions that feature include Encosta De Lago, Redoute’s Choice, Fappiano (USA), Danzig (USA), Canny Lad, Rahy (USA), Alleged (USA) and Halo (USA)
Debonnaire since producing Dominetta has a 2-year-old filly by Pierro named Britt, a yearling colt by Snitzel and has since been exported to America earlier this year after missing to Justify (USA) in the spring,
Warwick Farm, Race 1, 2pm AEST, Drinkwise Mdn Plate, $100,000, 1200m
Silver Wedding, 3-year-old filly (Zoustar x Summer Sham {Not A Single Doubt})
The well-related Zoustar filly Silver Wedding is set to make her second start over 1200 metres for Ciaron Maher on the back of a very promising debut effort at Warwick Farm on June 5 where she placed third. After having a nice little break, she has prepared for this race with a lovely trial win at Warwick Farm over 791 metres on September 13 when defeating Circle Of Love (Exceed And Excel).
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 the talented colt and likely future stallion in Schwarz (Zoustar) who has won the G2 Missile S., G3 Hawkesbury Guineas and the Listed Amanda Elliot H. in his career so far.
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 Inglis
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 the 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 a 2-year-old colt named Tuscany (Zoustar) who was very impressive winning at the first official Sydney 2-year-old trials this week, a yearling colt by Zoustar and last month she foaled a Zoustar filly foal.
Apiam Bendigo, Race 1, 1.35pm AEST, Avis Bendigo 3YO Mdn Plate, $37,500, 1500m
Gas Brigade, 3-year-old colt (Alabama Express x Orange Flame {NZ} {Sweet Orange {USA}})
The Nathan Dunn-trained and Yulong Investments-bred and -owned Alabama Express colt Gas Brigade will be having his third start at Bendigo on Wednesday. On debut at Echuca, he ran a good narrow second placing over 1312 metres on August 11 behind the progressive filly Navy Heart (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) and at his second start he was solid again when battling on well from an on-pace position to finish third behind the promising Statuario (D’Argento) over 1600 metres at Cranbourne on September 19.
This well-related 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 {USA}) the six-time winner up to 1400 metres that 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 Group 1-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 named Tennessee Valley, a yearling filly by Tagaloa and unfortunately slipped to Diatonic (Jpn) from last spring's mating.
Looking Back
Mighty Zou (Zoustar) even though he had to share the dead-heat victory with Thirteenth Man (Tavistock {NZ}) it was a solid effort, he deserved that maiden success.
Sethfire (NZ) (Super Seth) ran a fair race for seventh, he should improve from the experience.
