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 promising 2-year-olds are looking to gain a win on the last day of the racing season at Ipswich on Thursday. A filly by Maurice (Jpn) and a colt by Pierata look hard to beat as they chase maiden success.
Ipswich, Race 1, 11.30am AEDT, Great Northern QTIS 2YO Handicap, $28,000, 1350m
Kurithea, 2-year-old filly (Maurice (Jpn) x Irithea {Snitzel})
Ipswich’s Thursday meeting will be the venue for the second start of the Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained filly Kurithea (Maurice {Jpn}).
The promising juvenile looked talented running third in a strong maiden at Doomben. On that day, she ran home strongly over the 1200 metres, so the 1350 metreslooks to be ideal for her.
Kurithea as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Kurithea is the first foal from Irithea (Snitzel), she was talented on the track winning eight times, including the G3 Hawkesbury Crown, and the G3 Dark Jewel Classic Handicap.
Further back in the family is a nice international flavour with the successful Japanese stallions Epiphaneia (Jpn), Leontes (Jpn), and Saturnalia (Jpn).
Irithea, since producing Kurithea, has produced a yearling colt named Le Starcell (Pierro), a weanling colt by Dundeel (NZ), and is due to foal to Anamoe in late September.
Kurithea was purchased by Laurel Oak Bloodstock (FBAA) for $300,000 from the Bell River draft at the 2024 Magc Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Ipswich, Race 3, 12.37pm AEDT, Urban Precinct Planning QTIS 2YO Maiden Plate, $30,000, 1100m
Whispering Rogue, 2-year-old colt (Pierata x Artful Whisper (USA) {Machiavellian {USA}})
The Chris and Corey Munce-trained Whispering Rogue (Pierata) will have his second start at Ipswich on Thursday over 1100 metres, after previously scratching from the race he was accepted in at Doomben on Wednesday.
He ran a solid close-up second on debut at Doomben back in April behind Ritualize (Written By), and has two trials to prepare himself for his resuming run.
The promising colt is the ninth and last foal out of the Macchiavellian (USA) mare Artful Whisper (USA), who was placed in Great Britain on the track.
Whispering Rogue as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She has turned out to be a fantastic broodmare leaving five winners with the best of them clearly being Whispering Brook (Hinchinbrook), who was a 10-time winner, with seven of them being at stakes level.
At the end of her racing career she was sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.1 million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Whispering Rogue was purchased for $135,000 from the Kenmore Lodge draft by Munce Racing and Arthur Hoyeau from the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Book 2.
Looking Back
Kokatahi (NZ) (Farnan) - Ran second at Warwick Farm, he looked the likely winner but was just out toughed late.
Conscience (Snitzel) - Ran a solid fourth at Sandown, she looked like she will improve off that run.
Whispering Rogue (Pierata) - He was scratched from Wednesday, and is down to run at Ipswich on Thursday, where he has again been a Looking Ahead selection.
