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 looking for success at Kembla Grange on Thursday. An Alabama Express filly deserves maiden success, and a 2-year-old filly by Exceed And Excel also looks hard to beat.
Kembla Grange, Race 1, 12.05pm AEDT, The Gong Spring Carnival Maiden Handicap, $42,000, 1300m
Hurry Miss, 3-year-old filly (Alabama Express x Rush You {Pierro})
The Peter Snowden-trained and Yulong Investments-bred and owned Alabama Express filly Hurry Miss will be making her fourth start at Kembla Grange on Thursday.
She has run three very good placings from her three career starts so far, and looks very hard to beat resuming over 1300 metres, with a couple of quiet trials under her belt to get herself ready.
This well-bred filly is bred on the extended cross of the great Redoute’s Choice over Zabeel (NZ) line mares, as she is out of the Pierro mare Rush You, who only raced three times unsuccessfully on the track, but she comes from a very strong extended family.
Alabama Express | Standing in Yulong
Rush You is a half-sister to the handy Rockolicious (Fastnet Rock), who has been a five-time winner up to 1400 metres, with her best win being in the Listed Rosemont Stud Stakes.
The third dam of Hurry Miss is the famed matriarch Canny Lass (Bletchingly) - successful Group-performers that descend from her include Causeway Lass (Giant’s Causeway {USA}), Astute Angel (Godswalk {USA}), Al Jameel (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}), Eckstein (I Am Invincible), Rothsay, Sensei, Coleman (Pierata), Liwa (Mulaazem) and Fast Witness (Star Witness).
Since Producing Hurry Miss, Rush You has produced a yearling colt by Grunt (NZ), and is due to foal to the exciting young sire Lucky Vega (Ire) early next month.
Kembla Grange, Race 3, 1.15pm AEDT, Happy Birthday Emily Kendall 2YO Maiden Plate, $42,000, 1000m
Charka, 2-year-old filly (Exceed And Excel x Handspun {Bernardini {USA})
The well-related Charka (Exceed And Excel) is set to have her third start for Godolphin’s head trainer James Cummings at Kembla Grange on Thursday after running good thirds at Newcastle and Hawkesbury in her career so far. She was scratched from a race at Kensington on Wednesday, and the stable has elected to run in this race instead.
Exceed And Excel | Image courtesy of Darley
Charka is a daughter of Darley’s outstanding and now pensioned sire Exceed And Excel and is the first foal from the Bernardini (USA) mare Handspun. She was talented on the track winning five races and just over $300,000 in prize money.
Charka’s pedigree is a bit quiet in terms of close-up black type, but her third dam is In A Bound (Ashkalani {Ire}) who was a very talented mare winning five times including the G2 Queen Of The Turf Stakes.
Handspun since producing Charka, has produced a yearling filly named Handloom (Exceed And Excel), a weanling colt by Bivouac, and is due to foal to Victor Ludorum (GB) early November this year.
Looking Back
Grand Prairie (Written Tycoon) - Was a very good winner on the Kensington, the well-bred colt won nicely and looks one to follow.
Regal Definition (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) - Was trapped wide throughout at Sandown, as a result, he dropped out and ran tenth.
Charka (Exceed And Excel) - The connections of Charka decided to scratch from Kensington, and instead run at Kembla Grange on Thursday, where she has been a Looking Ahead selection again.
