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 that has shown promise 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 Wootton Bassett (GB) and I Am Immortal attempt to make their mark at Randwick and Sandown. While a progressive Ardrossan 3-year-old gelding steps up in grade at Sandown.
Royal Randwick, Race 1, 11am AEDT, Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation 2YO Handicap, $160,000, 1200m
Providence, 2-year-old colt (Wootton Bassett (GB) x Southbank {Fastnet Rock})
Randwick's Saturday meeting will serve as the venue for the debut of Providence, a well-bred son of Wootton Bassett (GB), trained by Chris Waller. He has shown promise at the trials and looks well placed to put in a big performance on debut.
Providence is out of the talented mare Southbank (Fastnet Rock), she may have only won one race but she was very classy placing in the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude, and the G1 Thousand Guineas.
Providence as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Providence’s grandam is Rezoned (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), she was a Group 3 winner on the track and also is a full sister to Preferment (NZ) who was a dual Group 1 winner and now stands at stud at Brighthill Farm in New Zealand.
Southbank, since producing Providence, has left a Too Darn Hot (GB) weanling filly, and was subsequently served by Zoustar last spring.
Providence was purchased for $625,000 by China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy from the draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Sportsbet Sandown Hillside, Race 1, 11.55am AEDT, Sportsbet Jockey Watch 2YO Handicap, $150,000, 1000m
Saluted, 2-year-old filly (I Am Immortal x No Reward {Reward For Effort})
The very promising Saluted (I Am Immortal) is chasing a treble of wins as she attempts to stay unbeaten at Sandown on Saturday. The Robbie Griffiths-trained filly has looked very smart winning at Pakenham and Moonee Valley, both times she showed an abundance of speed and dominated from the front.
I Am Immortal | Standing at Swettenham Stud
Saluted is out of No Reward (Reward For Effort), she was a four-time winner up to 1400 metres, and Saluted is her second foal.
Overall the family is a bit quiet on black type but there are some interesting stallion influences throughout the page including Invincible Spirit (GB), Exceed And Excel, Fasliyev (USA), Sadler’s Wells (USA), and Rory’s Jester.
Since producing Saluted, No Reward has delivered a yearling full sister by I Am Immortal, but sadly lost a colt by the same sire shortly after birth last year.
Sportsbet Sandown Hillside, Race 4, 1.35pm AEDT, Sportsbet More Places Handicap, $150,000, 1600m
Taken (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (Ardrossan x Katherine Wright (NZ) {Henrythenavigator {USA}})
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained gelding Taken (NZ) (Ardrossan) looks hard to beat at Sandown on Saturday. He took quite a while to break through for his maiden victory, but looks a progressive type that could taste success up in grade straight away at city level, even from a tricky wide draw.
Taken is by Waikato Stud’s promising sire Ardrossan and is out of the Henrythenavigator (USA) mare Katherine Wright (NZ), she was unraced on the track but is a half-sister to Pwerfect (Pentire {GB}).
Ardrossan | Standing at Waikato Stud
At stud she has left Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan) who was been successful in the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes and the G3 Grand Prix Stakes, and also Toretto (NZ) (Ardrossan) who has been a winner as a juvenile this year and has been Listed placed twice. Both of these talented gallopers are by Ardrossan making them both three-quarter-brothers to Taken.
The family is a little quiet of black-type up close in the page but there are some lovely stallion influences within the page including Redoute’s Choice, Canny Lad, Last Tycoon (Ire), Kingmambo (USA), Sadler’s Wells (USA), Montjeu (Ire), Nureyev (USA) and Irish River (Fr).
Katherine Wright since producing Taken has produced a 2-year-old colt by Ardrossan, and a yearling filly by Ardrossan before she died in 2024.
Looking Back
Providence (Wootton Bassett {GB}) - Was scratched from the Gold Coast, as selected earlier, he is now running at Randwick.
Cologne (I Am Invincible) - was unfortunately scratched, he will keep for another day.
Il Cielo (Toronado {Ire}) - ran seventh, he got in a bad position well back in the field, and finished off fairly without a lot of luck in the straight.
