Looking Ahead highlights runners of interest across Australia and New Zealand. Whether they are an exceptionally well-bred or high-priced runner early in their career chasing maiden success, a promising galloper returning to the track or a horse that has trialled particularly well, we’ll aim to give you something to follow.
Three exciting runners are racing across Australia on Saturday. 2-year-olds by I Am Invincible, Wootton Bassett (GB) attempt to make their mark at Morphettville and Doomben. While a Capitalist 3-year-old filly chases maiden success on the Gold Coast Poly Track.
Morphettville, Race 1, 12.07pm AEDT (11.37am local), Festival Hire Maiden Plate, $50,000, 1000m
Chisholm, 2-year-old filly (I Am Invincible x Snitzerland {Snitzel})
Chisholm, a well-bred daughter of I Am Invincible, will make her second career start for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr at Morphettville over 1000 metres on Saturday.
She has only had one start so far in her career and that was on November 9, when she ran second in the R. Listed Inglis 2YO Classic behind the smart filly Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}). After having a break she has had a couple of jump outs at Cranbourne to prepare herself for her resuming run.
Chisholm as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
This promising filly is out of the super talented filly Snitzerland (Snitzel). She was victorious in the G1 Lightning Stakes as well as another five Group races. She has already proven to be a successful broodmare leaving the Group 3 winner Hard Landing (All Too Hard) and the stakes placed Saas Fee (All Too Hard).
Snitzerland has since produced a yearling colt by Zoustar, a weanling filly by Zoustar, and she was most recently served by Farnan last spring.
Chisholm was purchased for $500,000 by Kia Ora Stud at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Vinery Stud.
Doomben, Race 5, 2.08pm AEDT, G2 Seven Spirit Of Boom Classic, $300,000, 1200m
Gallo Nero, 2-year-old colt (Wootton Bassett (GB) x Chianti {I Am Invincible})
The Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes-trained Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Gallo Nero will be making his fourth start at Doomben on Saturday over 1200 metres in the G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic.
He won his maiden nicely at Randwick in late December last year, and then he ran a slashing third in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic behind O'Ole (Ole Kirk). He then had a nice break and has won a trial impressively at Rosehill on May 9 in prepartion for this Group 2 event and his first crack at Group level.
Gallo Nero as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Gallo Nero is a son of Coolmore Stud’s outstanding shuttling stallion Wootton Bassett and this colt is part of his first Australian crop, he is out of the I Am Invincible mare Chianti. She was a handy filly and won twice at sprinting distances including at metropolitan level in Sydney.
Gallo Nerro’s grandam is 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.
Chianti since producing Gallo Nero has produced an Anamoe weanling filly, and was most recently served by Anamoe again last spring.
Gallo Nero sold for $370,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale with Hawkes Racing being the successful purchaser from the draft of Glenbeigh Farm.
Aquis Park Gold Coast Poly, Race 5, 2.24pm, AEDT, Happy 50th Birthday Kathryn QTIS 3YO Miaden Plate, $30,000, 1100m
Capital Diva, 3-year-old filly (Capitalist x Diva Dee {Encosta De Lago})
The sharply-bred Capital Diva (Capitalist) is set to make her third start over 1100 metres for the Gold Coast trainer Gary Doughty on the Gold Coast Poly Track on Saturday.
She ran a good second on the same track on debut in June last year, before running sixth three weeks later at the Sunshine Coast where she did not enjoy the heavy track conditions.
Capital Diva is a daughter of Newgate Stud Farm’s star stallion Capitalist and is out of the Encosta De Lago mare Diva Dee. She didn't manage to win on the track but was very quick placing in the R. Listed Inglis Banner 2YO, G3 Breeders Stakes, and placing fourth in the G2 Reisling Stakes, and the G3 Maribyrnong Plate.
Capital Diva as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Her dam True Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) was a winner as a juvenile and managed a placing in the Listed Cinderella Stakes. She is a well-bred mare and is a half-sister to Road To Rock. He was a classy and durable galloper winning six-times including the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the G1 George Main Stakes. He then went on to be a stallion at Wellfield Lodge in New Zealand most famously leaving the Hong Kong Horse of the Year in Beauty Generation (NZ).
Diva Dee, since producing Capital Diva, has left a 2-year-old colt by Dundeel (NZ), a yearling colt by Dubious, and was most recently served by Don Corleone last spring.
Capital Diva was purchased at the sales by P Morgan/Gall Bloodstock for $90,000 at the 2023 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Eureka Stud.
Looking Back
Nimbustwothousand (Lonhro) - won narrowly but impressively at Werribee, he pounced and was strong late.
Whateley (Written Tycoon) - won nicely, he led all the way at Cranbourne, and had a superior turn of foot compared to his rivals.
Central Bank (Ten Soverigns {Ire}) - Won nicely at Cranbourne, after four seconds in a row he deserved that win.
