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.
Two exciting runners are running across Australia on Friday. Well-bred runners by I Am Invincible and So You Think (NZ) are both chasing deserved maiden success.
Goulburn, Race 3, 1.05pm AEDT, Happy Retirement John Cramp Maiden Plate, $27,000, 1100m
Yvette, 4-year-old mare (I Am Invincible x Secret Agenda {Not A Single Doubt})
The well-bred Yvette (I Am Invincible) is set to have her third start at Goulburn over 1100 metres for trainer Ciaron Maher on Friday.
She has run two placings early in 2024, so has had a long time off the track. As a result she may definitely need the run on Friday, but she did have a preparation trial at Goulburn on May 30 over 800 metres to help with fitness levels.
Yvette as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Her dam is Secret Agenda (Not A Single Doubt), who was an outstanding seven-time winner including at Group 1 level in the Robert Sangster Stakes, she also won another three Group races and a Listed event in her career.
Secret Agenda is also a sister to Stellar Pauline (Not A Single Doubt) who was Group placed and a half-sister to another three stakes performers including Tutta La Vita (The Autumn Sun), Donandkim (Smart Missile), and Sweetener (Snitzel).
Since producing Yvette, Secret Agenda has left the winners Agenda Setter (I Am Invincible) and Hidden Motive (Capitalist), she has also left a yearling colt by Home Affairs and a weanling filly by Zoustar, before she sadly died in December last year.
Yvette was withdrawn from the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Sportsbet-Ballarat Synthetic, Race 2, 1.30pm AEDT, Manhari Maiden Plate, $27,000, 1200m
Mercurial Lady, 3-year-old filly (So You Think (NZ) x Aware {Tale Of The Cat {USA}})
The well-bred So You Think (NZ) filly Mercurial Lady, is set to make her third start on the Ballarat-Synthetic over 1200 metres for trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman on Friday.
In her first preparation she ran two very good seconds at Geelong and Sale, and she has won two jump outs in preparation for her resuming run.
Mercurial Lady as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Mercurial Lady is the fifth foal out of the Tale Of the Cat (USA) mare Aware, she was a four-time winner and has done a good job at stud leaving five winners.
There has been a major update to the famiy recently as Mercurial Lady is a half-sister to Cool Archie (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}), he has now won four races including the G2 Sires’ Produce Stakes, G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic, and the Listed Dalrello Stakes, there could be another major update this weekend as Cool Archie is the favourite for the G1 JJ Atkins Stakes.
There is more depth to this family with Mercurial Lady's second and third dam, Media (Gilded Time {USA} and Valourina (Snippets) both being stakes winners respectively.
In recent times Aware has produced a yearling filly by Cool Aza Beel (NZ) named Sentient, a weanling colt by Cool Aza Beel, and is due to foal to the exciting son of Savabeel again this spring.
Mercurial Lady was purchased by Curran Bloodstock for $425,000 from the draft of Newhaven Park at the 2003 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
Jimmy Recard (I Am Invincible) - Was an impressive winner at Gosford, he sat in a prominent position and was dominant in the end.
Hawker Hall (Russian Revolution) - Was a soft winner at Gosford where he led all of the way.
Signor Tortoni (Too Darn Hot {GB}) - won with ease at Gosford, Kerrin McEvoy took the promising gelding straight to the front and he never gave any others a look in. He should progress nicely through the grades.
