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 Thursday. A well-bred gelding by Deep Field is chasing maiden success at Ipswich, and an All Too Hard filly is looking to go back-to-back at Hawkesbury.
Ipswich, Race 2, 12.35pm AEDT, Gordon’s Gin QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Plate, $30,000, 1350m
First Empire, 2-year-old gelding (Deep Field x Angel Of Heaven {Redoute’s Choice})
Bred and raced by Mrs J M Wanless and Mr R M Wanless, the well-bred First Empire (Deep Field) is set to have his third run for in-form trainer Kelly Schweida at Ipswich on Thursday.
He has run two solid placings at the Sunshine Coast and at Doomben to start his career, and he looks very hard to beat in this maiden event over 1350 metres.
Deep Field | Image courtesy of Newgate
First Empire is out of Angel Of Heaven (Redoute’s Choice) who was successful three-times and ran second in the G3 Grand Prix Stakes, and fourth in the G1 Queensland Oaks.
His grandam is the Zabeel (NZ) mare Lights Of Heaven. She was a classy eight-time winner and these wins included the G1 Schweppes Oaks, G2 Eagle Farm Cup, G2 AD Hollindale Stakes, and the G3 Neville Sellwood Stakes.
She has already made her mark at stud leaving five-individual winners including the talented gelding He’s Heaven (Zoustar) who was successful in the Listed Oaklands Plate, and the aforementioned Angel Of Heaven.
Angel Of Heaven, since producing First Empire, has left yearling and weanling fillies by Dundeel (NZ), and is due to foal to Harry Angel (Ire) in October this spring.
Hawkesbury, Race 6, 3.20pm AEDT, Brad Widdup Racing Class 1 Handicap, $42,000, 1000m
Regimental Colours, 3-year-old filly (All Too Hard x Regimental Gal {General Nediym})
The well-bred Regimental Colours (All Too Hard) is set to make her first start out of maiden company for Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker at Hawkesbury on Thursday. She was an impressive winner last start at Warwick Farm in a $100,000 super maiden over 1100 metres, and it would be no surprise to see her competitive up in grade.
Regimental Colours as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Regimental Colours is a daughter of All Too Hard and is the last foal out of the classy sprinter Regimental Gal, who was a seven-time winner including in the G1 Lightning Stakes and the G1 Australia Stakes. She has had success at stud leaving seven individual winners with the best of them being Lilliburlero (Redoute’s Choice) who has been successful at Group 3 level in Sydney.
Other successful Group performers within this page are Regimental Band (I Am Invincible), Vimy (Redoute’s Choice), Narooma Guy (Genghiz {USA}) and Souchez (Lonhro).
Regimental Colours was passed in short of her $200,000 reserve at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
Imzada (Alabama Express) - Was disappointing running sixth at Sandown.
From The Peak (Alabama Express) - Was scratched from her race at Warwick Farm, she will keep for another day.
Ernaux (I Am Invincible) - Was a touch disappointing running fourth at Warwick Farm, she had her chance, although it did look like the heavy conditions may not have suited.
