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 New Zealand and Australia on Thursday. These include Ocean Park (NZ) and Deep Field debutants at Tauranga and a promising Shamus Award filly makes her debut at Yarra Valley.
Tauranga, Race 3, 12.45pm AEDT (2.45pm local), Epic Journeys 3YO Mdn., $18,500, 1400m
Oceana Dream (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (Ocean Park {NZ} x Clevedon Bay {Redoute’s Choice})
Oceana Dream (NZ), a son of Waikato Stud’s proven stallion Ocean Park will make his debut at Tauranga over 1400 metres at Tauranga for Cambridge trainers Rogers James and Robert Wellwood. He looked talented when winning at the Pukekohe trials on December 17 when defeating First Tycoon (Written Tycoon) by 1.5l over 1100 metres.
This promising gelding is the third live foal from the Redoute’s Choice mare Clevedon Bay, who was a two-time winner on the track. She has started her broodmare career well leaving the six-time winner Victory Bay (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}) and Quadri (NZ) (Savabeel) who has won twice in her career so far.
Ocean Park (NZ) | Standing at Waikato Stud
Oceana Dream comes from an outstanding extended family, some of the Group winners include Calveen (NZ) (Canny Lad), Striker (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy {USA}), Kosi Bay (NZ) (Spinning World {USA}), Fireworks (Snitzel), First Impressions (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), Okahu Bay (Flying Spur), Pareanui Bay (NZ) (Lonhro), Ektifaa (More Than Ready {USA}) and Thalassophile (Not A Single Doubt).
Clevedon Bay’s further progeny include a 2-year-old filly by Ocean Park, a yearling filly by Circus Maximus (Ire) and she was due to foal to Profondo in November last spring.
Tauranga, Race 7, 12.45pm AEDT (2.45pm local), Epic Journeys 3YO Mdn., $18,500, 1400m
Happy Field, 4-year-old gelding (Deep Field x Ra Ra Epic {Drumbeats})
Tauranga’s Thursday meeting will serve as the venue for the debut of the promising gelding Happy Field, a well-bred 4-year-old son of Deep Field from the Debbie Sweeney stable at Te Awamutu. He has looked talented as shown by winning his last two trials impressively at Taupo and Waipa respectively.
Happy Field is the second live foal out of Ra Ra Epic (Drumbeats). She was a three-time winner up to 1300 metres on the track.
Ra Ra Epic has some outstanding blood within her pedigree, she is a full sister to Bergarac (Drumbeats) who was a 10-time winner including in the Listed Ipswich Cup and the Listed Bernborough H. She is also a three-quarter-sister to the very promising Waikato Stud stallion Ardrossan who was a Group 3 winning sprinter and a half-sister to the outstanding Incentivise (Shamus Award) who was a three-time Group 1 winner with his standout wins being in the G1 Caulfield Cup, G1 Makybe Diva S., and the G1 Turnbull S., and Cheyenne Warrior (Not A single Doubt) who was a Listed winner in Tasmania.
Happy Field as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Further back in the pedigree are the talented stakes-winners Prince Of Boom (Spirit Of Boom), Diamondsondinside (Iglesia), Heaven’s Deal (Spirit Of Boom), Express Air (Piccolo {GB}), Simply Fly (Spirit Of Boom) and Keshi Boom (Spirit Of Boom).
Ra Ra Epic since producing Happy Field has left a 3-year-old colt named Flamboyant Lad (Yes Yes Yes) a 2-year-old filly named First Fifteen (I Am Invincible) and a yearling colt by Pierro who heads to the 2025 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale in the draft of Merricks Station as Lot 400.
Happy Field was originally a $200,000 purchase by Riversley Park/Michael Guerin from the draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. He was then a successful pinhook when selling from the Riversley Park Ltd draft for NZ$460,000 to Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) from the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.
Bet365 Yarra Valley, Race 3, 2.30pm AEDT, De Bortoli 3YO Mdn Plate, $37,500, 1000m
McKeyla, 3-year-old filly (Shamus Award x Cherief’s Choice {Redoute’s Choice})
Yarra Valley’s Thursday meeting will serve as the venue for second start for McKeyla, a daughter of Shamus Award from the Robbie Griffiths stable at Cranbourne. She ran a lovely third at big odds on the Pakenham Synthetic in July last year behind the talented Blue Stratum (Blue Point {Ire}).
McKeyla is the second foal out of Cherief’s Choice (Redoute’s Choice) who showed some talent on the track winning twice at 1000 metres. She has already left the smart two-time winning Supido gelding Supido’s Choice.
Shamus Award | Standing at Rosemont Stud
She holds a very interesting pedigree-pattern having a 3 x 2 cross of the legendary Redoute’s Choice directly through his sire Shamus Award being a grandson of Redoute's Choice and his broodmare sire being by Redoute’s Choice directly.
The family page is a bit quiet in terms of having Group performers close in the page but further down in the page there are some classy performers including the Group 1 winner Alverta (Flying Spur), Aerobatics (Exceed And Excel) who was successful at Group 3 level and Revolte (French Debuty {USA}) who was a very good Listed winner in Singapore.
Cherief’s Choice since producing McKeyla, has left a 2-year-old colt by Widden Stud’s Doubtland and was due to foal to Pride Of Dubai in September last spring.
Looking Back
Cold Brew (Lonhro) ran a solid race for second, it was an improvers run and he looks close to a win
Blanc De Noir (Capitalist) was scratched from her race, she will keep for another day.
Qatars Choice (I Am Invincible) won very impressively, she looks a very progressive filly and has a big future.
