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.
Exotically bred fillies by Russian Camelot (Ire) and Toronado (Ire) will battle it out at Sale on Sunday in the hopes of capturing a maiden win.
Sale, Race 1, 1PM AEDT, Ladbrokes Hosted Pots Maiden Plate, $55,000, 1717m
Perfect Night (NZ), 3-year-old filly, (Toronado {Ire} x Promise To Reign {Manhattan Rain})
The Ben, Will, and JD Hayes-trained 3-year-old Perfect Night (NZ) (Toronado {Ire}) is deserving of a winning turn, particularly after surging forward from the rear of the field to run second in her most recent start to date.
She has drawn a wide barrier, so will need a little extra luck to knock off her maiden on Sunday, but she goes out in trip, which should be more suitable.
Perfect Night (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Perfect Night is the third foal from multiple Group performer Promise To Reign (Manhattan Reign), who is out of Certain Promise (USA) (El Prado {USA}), a full sister to the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Spanish Moon (USA) and G2 Ribblesdale Stakes winner Spanish Sun (USA).
Via third dam Bourbon Girl (GB) (Ile De Bourbon {USA})), she is from the family of European 201 and 2019 Horse of the Year Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).
Promise To Reign has most recently produced a yearling filly by Dundeel (NZ), who was bought at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales this year by Robert Dennis Racing for NZ$55,000, and delivered a colt in 2025 by Almanzor (Fr).
Perfect Night was purchased from Cambridge Stud’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft in 2024 by John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) for $240,000.
Sale, Race 2, 1:35PM AEDT, Laurels Function Centre – Book Now Maiden Plate, $42,500, 1400m
Pomah, 3-year-old filly (Russian Camelot {Ire} x Rapid Romance {Fastnet Rock})
Danny O’Brien’s 3-year-old filly Pomah (Russian Camelot {Ire}) is another horse on the cusp of breaking her maiden, and she hasn’t been beaten far in her most recent starts. At the beginning of the month, she was beaten by just a nose over a similar trip to Sunday’s race at her last start.
She has to also overcome a wide barrier, but she retains the ride of Jordan Childs, who was instrumental in her near-miss at Sale on March 1.
Russian Camelot (Ire) | Standing at Widden Stud
Pomah’s dam Rapid Romance (Fastnet Rock) is very well-related, being a half-sister to Summer Sham (Not A Single Doubt), the Group 2-winning dam of G1 William Reid Stakes winner Schwarz. Rapid Romance’s dam is a half to the granddam of Listed CS Hayes Memorial Cup winner Meridius (Extreme Choice) as well.
This family goes back to Shantha’s Choice (Canny Lad), the blue hen dam of Redoute’s Choice, Platinum Scissors, and Manhattan Rain whose other descendants include Rubick and G1 Myer Classic winner Shoals (Fastnet Rock).
Pomah is the first foal of Rapid Romance, who has yearling and weanling colts by Supido to follow. Pomah was retained to race by her breeders Uluru Stud.
Looking Back:
Gin Twist (Home Affairs) - Adds another stakes performance to her record with a third in the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes at Flemington.
Tenenbaum (Snitzel) - An emphatic winner by three and a half lengths, one to follow.
Almost An Angel (So You Think {NZ}) - Got herself some well-earned black-type when running third.
