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 smart Written Tycoon filly chases success on the Caulfield Heath, while 3-year-old geldings by Camelot (GB) and Extreme Choice go head-to-head over the mile at Wyong.
Caulfield Heath, Race 1, 2.30pm, AEDT, Sportsbet BlackBook 3YO Handicap, $55,000, 1500m
Lyrics ‘N’ Song, 3-year-old filly (Written Tycoon x Melody Belle (NZ) {Not Commands})
The beautifully-bred Lyrics ‘N’ Song (Written Tycoon) chases her second win at start number five for her trainer Mark Walker on the Caulfield Heath on Wednesday
The well-bred filly has already won at Cranbourne and been placed in the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes during her last preparation. She resumed with a nice third behind the promising type Arlington Row (Kingman {GB}) resuming at Cranbourne at the end of last month.
Lyrics ‘N’ Song is the first foal out of the New Zealand Champion mare Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands), who was a 19-time winner, including at Group 1 level 14 times.
Lyrics ‘N’ Song as a yearling | Image courtesy Inglis
Melody Belle herself was purchased by the Written Tycoon Syndicate for $2.6 million at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale resides at Yulong Stud, of who retained this exciting filly to race and no doubt breed from in the future.
Another family member is this season's G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Romanoff (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}).
Melody Belle, in recent times, has left a yearling filly by Diatonic (Jpn) that sells via the Yulong draft as Lot 424 at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, an I Am Invincible filly foal, and was served by Growing Empire last spring.
Wyong, Race 3, 2.55pm, AEDT, Coast Community News Maiden Handicap, $100,000, 1600m
Crusader Voyage, 3-year-old gelding (Camelot (GB) x Sea Siren {Fastnet Rock})
Crusader Voyage, a son of Coolmore Stud’s stallion Camelot (GB), will be chasing maiden success at Wyong ober a mile for trainer Chris Waller on Wednesday.
He has shown plenty of ability so far, placing in five of his seven starts, he resumed with a good third at Kembla Grange at his last start late last month, and should have improved off that run.
Crusade Voyage | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The well-bred gelding is out of Sea Siren (Fastnet Rock) who was successful seven times including the G1 Manikato Stakes, G1 Doomben Ten Thousand Stakes, and in the G1 BTC Cup. She has since become a star broodmare and has left four winners including Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who has won Group 1’s in the United States of America, Great Britain and France.
Sea Siren is also a half-sister to the stakes winners Lady Dehere (NZ) (Dehere {USA}), Oratorio and Discorsi.
Sea Siren, since producing Crusader Voyage, has left a 2-year-old colt by Home Affairs, a yearling filly by Justify (USA), and was served by City Of Troy (USA) last spring.
Crusader Voyage was purchased for $275,000 by Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock from the Coolmore Stud draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Wyong, Race 3, 2.55pm, AEDT, Coast Community News Maiden Handicap, $100,000, 1600m
Decalogue, 3-year-old gelding (Extreme Choice x Commandment {Commands})
The Ciaron Maher-trained Decalogue (Extreme Choice) chases his maiden at Wyong on Wednesday. and he looks a good chance going off his first run for fifth at Rosehill, which was a tidy effort resuming on February 25. After showing good promise earlier in his first campaign.
The China Horse Club-bred gelding is the fifth foal out of Commandment (Commands), she is very well-related being a half-sister to the G1 Australasian Oaks winner Tully Thunder (Thunder Gulch {USA}) and the Listed winning juvenile Sufficient (NZ) (Savabeel).
Decalogue | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
This is also the family of the G1 Australian Derby winner and ill-fated sire Levendi.
Since producing Decalogue, Commandment had left a 2-year-old filly named Oculus (Wild Ruler), a filly foal by Signore Fox, and was served again by Signore Fox last spring.
Decalogue was originally purchased by Woburn Farm and Cannon Hayes for $240,000 from the 2023 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale. He was then purchased by PR Thoroughbreds for $500,000 through the Cannon Hayes Stud, draft (As Agent for Woburn Farm) at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Looking Back:
In A Tizzy (Zoustar) - Ran an honest enough third at Hawkesbury.
So D'Oro (So You Think {NZ}) - Ras a tenacious winner at Hawkesbury, she showed great fight when challenged, and should be better again over further and even next preparation.
