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 Sunday. A Zoustar gelding looks hard to beat at Wangaratta, and an Ardrossan filly chases maiden success at Port Macquarie.
Sportsbet-Wangaratta, Race 2, 11.15am AEDT, Sportsbet Take A Sec Before You Bet Maiden Plate, $37,500, 1100m
Star Rapper, 4-year-old gelding (Zoustar x Minaj (NZ) {Commands})
Wangaratta’s Sunday meeting will serve as the venue for the third start of Star Rapper, a promising son of Zoustar that ran two solid placings at Pakenham and Moonee Valley in his first preparation.
He has had a nice break, and has had three jump outs to prepare himself for his resuming run on Sunday. He looks well placed to break through for his maiden victory.
Zoustar | Standing at Widden Stud
Star Rapper is out of the talented mare Minaj (NZ) (Commands) who was a five-time winner including twice at Listed level. She comes from a solid American family with a good amount of blacktype around.
Star Rapper was Minaj’s last foal as she died in 2022 and he was passed in short of his $80,000 reserve at the 2021 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale.
Port Macquarie, Race 2, 11.55am AEDT, Wauchope Dragon Flys Maiden Handicap, $35,000, 1208m
Namara (NZ), 3-year-old filly (Ardrossan x La Donna (NZ) {Per Incanto {USA})
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees will prepare the promising filly Namara (NZ) (Ardrossan) to make her fifth start at Port Macquarie on Sunday over 1208 metres.
She has run three solid placings in her career so far and looked like an improvers run first up at Hawkesbury.
Ardrossan | Image courtesy of Waikato Stud
Namara is by Waikato Stud’s Ardrossan and is out of the Per Incanto (USA) mare La Donna (NZ), she only ran once on the track but is a three-quarter-sister to Rocanto (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) who was a 10-time winner including the Listed Matamata Slipper as a juvenile, he trained on to be a tough and durable older gelding.
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 Street Cry (Ire), Redoute’s Choice, Last Tycoon (Ire), Canny Lad, Miswaki (USA), Try My Best (USA), Halo (USA) and Seattle Slew (USA).
La Donna since producing Namara has produced a 2-year-old colt by Ardrossan named Gold Patch (NZ), a weanling colt by Banquo, and was served again by Ardrossan last spring.
Looking Back
Crocodile (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) - Disappointed running ninth at Rosehill.
Our Chief (Tagaloa) - A credible second to the hot favourite at Bendigo, run was better than it appears on paper.
Yvette (I Am Invincible) - Seventh at Newcastle, never really got into the rhythm.
