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.
Three exciting 2-year-olds by Snitzel, Wootton Bassett (GB), and Exceed And Excel are all chasing maiden success in lucrative events across Australia on Saturday.
Flemington, Race 1, 12.40pm AEDT, R. Listed Inglis Banner, $400,000, 1000m
Free Flying, 2-year-old filly (Snitzel x Ennis Hill {Fastnet Rock})
The promising Free Flying (Snitzel) looks a good chance in the R. Listed Inglis Banner at Flemington on Saturday 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.
That form has been franked as Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot {GB}), who ran third that day behind Free Flying, came out and won the G3 Maribyrnong Plate on Melbourne Cup Day.
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.
Rosehill, Race 6, 3.30pm, AEDT, Golden Gift, $1,000,000, 1100m
Defensemen, 2-year-old colt (Wootton Bassett (GB) x Upfront (USA) {War Front {USA})
The promising Defensemen (Wootton Bassett (GB) lines up in the $1 million Golden Gift over 1100 metres for trainer Chris Waller on Saturday at Rosehill.
He showed some promise with a promising third on debut at Randwick behind Thrill Hunter (Ole Kirk), and with some natural improvement off that effort, he looks to be competitive in this lucrative event.
Defensemen as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Defensemen is by the late Wootton Bassett (GB) and is out of Upfront (War Front {USA}), who has left three winners, including four-time winner and Group 2 placed Direct (Siyouni {Fr}). His grandam Up (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was a Group 2 and Group 3 winner, and Group 1 placed in France. While the Dual Group 1 winner and sire Dutch Art (GB) also features within the page.
Upfront has also left a yearling filly by the in-form international stallion Starspangledbanner, and a colt foal by Wootton Bassett late last month.
Defencemen was purchased by Tom Magnier for $1.4 million from the Yarraman Park draft at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Rosehill, Race 6, 3.30pm, AEDT, Golden Gift, $1,000,000, 1100m
Artemex, 2-year-old colt (Exceed And Excel) x Artemis Rose {Lonhro})
Artemex (Exceed And Excel) makes his debut on Saturday in the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill for trainer Ciaron Maher.
The Dynamic Syndications-owned colt is from the second-to-last crop of Champion sire Exceed And Excel, and is the fifth foal out of Artemis Rose (Lonhro), a 1000 metre winner who was also metropolitan-placed in Sydney.
Artemis Rose has strong bloodlines, being a three-quarter sister to the dam of Derryn, a Group 1 producing sire in New Zealand, and a half-sister to the dam of Forensics (Flying Spur), a three-time Group 1 winner including the G1 Golden Slipper.
In recent years, Artemis Rose has produced a yearling filly by Extreme Choice and is due to foal to King’s Legacy any day.
Artemex was purchased by Dynamic Syndications and Dean Watt Bloodstock for $120,000 from the Newgate Farm draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
Akuma (Street Boss {USA} - Ran an okay fifth at Hamilton.
Winsilence (NZ) (Ghaiyyaht {Ire}) - Disappointed running fifth at Pakenham.
