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 Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained juveniles by Pinatubo (Ire) and Snitzel go head-to-head in the G3 Maribyrong Plate at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, while a consistent Zoustar mare chases her maiden win at Echuca.
Flemington, Race 1, 10.45am AEDT, Group 3 Darley Maribyrnong Plate, $240,000, 1000m
Carnevale, 2-year-old colt (Pinatubo (Ire) x Fiesta {I Am Invincible})
The well-bred Carnevale (Pinatubo {Ire}) lines up in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington on Tuesday for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes. He has looked exciting at the Flemington jump-outs, and won his last one over 800 metres, defeating his race-rival Diameter (Brazen Beau).
Carnevale as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Carnevale is from the first Australian crop of Pinatubo (Ire), the three-time Group 1 winner, and is the first foal out of Fiesta (I Am Invincible). She was a five-time winner of just under $1.6 million in prizemoney. Her most significant wins came in the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes, G3 Begonia Belle Stakes, G3 Widden Stakes, and the G3 Northwood Plume Stakes.
Rosemont Stud purchased Fiesta for $1.35 million at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, and she got off to an excellent start for them, when Carnevale was purchased by Lindsay Park Racing for $700,000 from the Rosemont Stud draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Fiesta, since producing Carnevale, has left a yearling colt by Dundeel (NZ), and foaled a Wootton Bassett (GB) filly in September this spring.
Flemington, Race 1, 10.45am AEDT, Group 3 Darley Maribyrnong Plate, $240,000, 1000m
Free Flying, 2-year-old filly (Snitzel x Ennis Hill {Fastnet Rock})
The promising Free Flying (Snitzel) looks a good chance in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington on Tuesday for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes. She showed her talent on debut placing behind her stablemate Torture (NZ) (Sword Of State) in the Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield on October 15.
Free Flying is the fourth live-foal foal out of Ennis Hill (Fastnet Rock), she was a handy juvenile winning the G3 Chairman’s Stakes, and has already proven herself as a broodmare leaving the classy Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}) who was the Champion 2-year-old filly in Australia, picking up the G2 Reisling Stakes, G3 Widden Stakes and the R. Listed Inglis 2YO Millenium.
Free Flying as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Ennis Hill is beautifully bred being a full sister to the stakes winning young Coolmore Stud sire in Acrobat, and also a full sister to Lake Geneva (Fastnet Rock), she won the Listed William Crockett Stakes, and placed in the G1 Golden Slipper and G1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
Free Flying’s grandam Hips Don’t Lie (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) was a five-time winner and was successful at Group 2 level, and Listed level twice as a juvenile.
In recent years, Ennis Hill has produced a Justify (USA) yearling filly, and she was sent to America after being served by Wootton Bassett (GB) last spring.
Free Flying was purchased by James Bester Bloodstock and Michael Kirwan for $750,000 from the Coolmore Stud draft at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Bet 365 Echuca, Race 5, 4.06pm AEDT, Bourke Builders Maiden Plate, $32,000, 1000m
Above Me, 4-year-old mare (Zoustar x She’s So High {I Am Invincible})
Above Me, a daughter of Widden Stud’s Champion stallion Zoustar, will be chasing maiden success for trainer Matt Laurie at Echuca on Tuesday.
She has run some solid races and has not been too far away from featuring, it would be no surprise to see her competitive in this maiden event over the short course 1000 metres on a track she has performed at.
Above Me as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Above Me is the fourth foal from the talented She’s So High (I Am Invincible), she was a winner at Group 3 level, and at Listed level twice.
Further back in the family are the talented Group winners and stallions Deep Field and Shooting To Win, as well as other stakes winners Zaniah (Zoustar) and Listen Here (Elusive Quality {USA}).
She’s So High has a 3-year-old gelding named Nielsen Park (Zoustar), a 2-year-old colt named Inner Gold (Zoustar), a Zoustar yearling filly, and a Zousain filly foal that was born this spring.
Above Me was purchased for $575,000 by Yu Long Investments from the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the Widden Stud draft.
Looking Back
Sunday, November 2, 2025
Brazen Diva (Brazen Beau) - Ran a solid second at Mornington, a win is getting close.
Path To Profit (Capitalist) - Was scratched from her race at Mornington.
