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.
A colt and a gelding seek to shed their maiden tags on Sunday; a Prague colt is ready to break through at Mornington, and on the Sunshine Coast, a son of Brazen Beau only needs to show a little improvement from debut to be hard to beat.
Sunshine Coast Turf Club, Race 4, 2:40pm AEDT, Equine Surfaces QTIS 3YO Colts & Geldings Maiden Plate, $30,000, 1200m
Armes, 3-year-old gelding (Brazen Beau x Satin Sashes {More Than Ready {USA}})
Brazen Beau gelding Armes is chasing a maiden victory at just his second start, and he only needs to slightly improve upon debut to win, where he was beaten by the fast finishing Notocar (Graff).
He showed improvement across his three trials ahead of raceday, winning the third over 1000 metres by half a length.
Armes as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Armes is out of More Than Ready (USA) mare Satin Sashes, who is a winning half-sister to R.Listed Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Stakes winner Assail (Charge Forward), herself the dam of two winners who have amassed 11 wins between them.
Second dam Emanday (Redoute's Choice) is an unraced full sister to Master Of Design and a half-sister to G1 Premier's Champion Stakes winner Suntagonal (Octagonal {NZ}). This is also the close family of Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}) and Alligator Blood (All Too Hard).
Satin Sashes' first foal Lavender Glory (Written By) is already a dual winner, and she has produced a 2-year-old filly by Dirty Work since. She is dual to foal to Cool Aza Beel (NZ) in late September.
Armes passed in when offered by Amarina Farm at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and is raced by his breeders Fern Vale Farm.
Melbourne Racing Club Mornington, Race 2, 2pm AEDT, Sportsbet Jockey Watch Plate, $55,000, 1200m
Parak, 3-year-old gelding (Prague x I Am Speedy {I Am Invincible})
Despite only placing once in six starts, Parak (Prague) hasn't been beaten far, particularly in recent starts where he had only met his match over the final half furlong.
He is chasing a maiden win here, and his third two starts ago at Pakenham was full of merit, being beaten less than a length.
Parak is a son of Kia Ora Stud's dual Group 3 winner Prague, and out of unraced I Am Invincible mare I Am Speedy, who as a $110,000 broodmare purchase for Beaufort Bloodstock in 2022.
Parak as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She is a half-sister to G3 Vanity Stakes winner Sweet And Speedy (Street Cry {Ire}), who also placed in the G3 National Stakes in South Australia.
Second dam Speedy Natalie (Al Maher) was victorious on three occasions, most notably in the G3 Adrian Knox Stakes, and is a full sister to multiple Group winner Silverstream, as well as a half-sister to the dam of G3 Gunsynd Classic winner and Group 1-placed Bases Loaded (Deep Field).
Since producing Parak, I Am Speedy has produced a 2-year-old filly by Toronado (Ire) and a yearling by Anamoe, who sold as a weanling to Lyndhurst Stud for $180,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale.
Parak was a $300,000 purchase for Moody Racing and Kia Ora Stud from Blue Gum Farm at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
Beadman - Outclassed by the winner, but by less than a length. Will strip fitter for the run.
Fermoy - Disappointed at the rear of the field, was never really in the picture.
