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 runners by Sword Of State, Exceed And Excel and Tagaloa are looking to chase maiden success across Australia on Thursday.
Southside Pakenham, Race 1, 5.45pm AEDT, Hygain Edge 2YO Maiden Plate, $45,000, 1200m
Captain Blood, 2-year-old colt (Sword Of State x Luckily (NZ) {Kermedec {NZ}})
The Danny O’Brien-trained Captain Blood makes his debut at Pakenham on Thursday night. The 2-year-old colt is by the in-form Cambridge Stud based Sword Of State, and he is out of the unraced Kermedec (NZ) mare Luckily (NZ).
Sword Of State | Standing at Cambridge Stud
Luckily is a half-sister to Kolonel Kev (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) who was an eight-time winner including in the Listed Timaru Cup, and another half-sibling is Santangelo (NZ) (Lonhro) who was a six-time winner and Group 3 placed.
Luckily, in recent years has left a yearling filly by Shamus Award, and was served by King Colorado last spring.
Captain Blood was passed in short of his $120,000 reserve at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Gosford, Race 5, 3.35pm AEDT, Nova Coast Services Super Maiden Handicap, $60,000, 1000m
Charka, 3-year-old filly (Exceed And Excel x Handspun {Bernardini {USA})
The well-related Charka (Exceed And Excel) is set to have her fourth start, and first for new trainer Michael Freedman at Gosford on Thursday. She has run in the top four in all of her three starts so far, and prepared for her resuming run with a nice trial victory at Randwick a few weeks ago.
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.
Exceed And Excel | Image courtesy of Darley
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 2-year-old filly named Handloom (Exceed And Excel), a yearling colt by Bivouac, and foaled a Victor Ludorum (GB) colt last October.
Gosford, Race 5, 3.35pm AEDT, Nova Coast Services Super Maiden Handicap, $60,000, 1000m
Nafanua, 3-year-old filly (Tagaloa x Celtic Sea {Fastnet Rock})
The Bjorn Baker-trained filly Nafanua (Tagaloa) looks a great chance to break her maiden status at Gosford on Thursday over 1000 metres.
She ran a solid second on debut last September behind Knight Of Rhodes (Fierce Impact {Jpn}) at Nowra. She then has had a break, and looks a great each-way chance having prepared for her first-up run with two smart trial wins at Rosehill and Randwick.
Nafanua as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Nafanua is out of the juvenile winner Celtic Sea (Fastnet Rock), who has produced four winners, with the best of them being the four-time winner Monte Maximus (Invader). Celtic Sea is well-related being a half-sister to the G3 Vain Stakes winner Tony Nicconi (Nicconi).
Nafanua was purchased for a value price of $15,000 from the Twin Hills Stud draft by Bjorn Baker Racing and Jim Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) from the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Looking Back:
Kokatahi (NZ) (Farnan) - Was very disappointing running sixth at Warwick Farm.
Decorum (Snitzel) - Was an impressive winner resuming at Warwick Farm. The well-bred colt looks like he could progress through the grades.
Tam Na Ghar (NZ) (Ardrossan) - Ran a very good second at Eagle Farm, a win is getting close.
