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 promising types by Zoustar, Home Affairs and Exceed And Excel chase maiden success across Australia on Wednesday.
Warwick Farm, Race 1, 1.45pm AEDT, Hyland Race Colours Handicap, $60,000, 1300m
Lafite, 2-year-old colt (Zoustar x Summer Sham {Not A Single Doubt)
The well-related and flashy chestnut colt Lafite (Zoustar) is set to make his debut at Warwick Farm over 1300 metres for trainer Chris Waller on Wednesday.
He has had plenty of education at the trials, and trialled nicely at Rosehill over 900 metres, when running second behind Moscow Maid (Russian Revolution) on March 10.
Lafite as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Lafite is the fourth live-foal from the Not A Single Doubt mare Summer Sham. She was the winner of the G2 Angus Armanasco Stakes on the track. She has had success as a broodmare already leaving Schwarz who was successful in the G1 William Reid Stakes amongst his six wins before he retired to stud.
Lafite holds an interesting pedigree pattern duplicating the great stallion Redoute’s Choice 3 x 3, his sire Zoustar is out of a Redoute’s Choice mare, and his dam is by Not A Single Doubt, who is a son of Redoute’s Choice.
Summer Sham had a Zoustar yearling filly that sold for $1.8 million at the recently completed 2026 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, last September she foaled a Zoustar filly, before being served again by Zoustar subsequently
Lafite himself sold to the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership and Tony Fung Colts for $1.4 million from the Widden Stud draft at last year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Ladbrokes Geelong, Race 1, 1.20pm AEDT, Ladbrokes Big Bets Copy Now 2YO Fillies Maiden Plate, $42,500, 1100m
Velocite Belle, 2-year-old filly (Home Affairs x Vitesse {Snitzel})
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Velocite Belle (Home Affairs) makes her debut at Geelong on Wednesday. The well-bred daughter of Home Affairs has shown some nice talent at the jump-outs, and looks well-educated ahead of her first start.
Velocite Belle is the first foal from the six-time winner Vitesse (Snitzel). She comes from a very strong international family that includes the Champion European filly Sarafina (Fr) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}) who was a three-time Group 1 winner in France.
Velocite Belle as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Vitesse has left a yearling colt by Dundeel (NZ), a weanling colt by Home Affairs, and was served again by Home Affairs last spring.
Velocite Belle was purchased for $300,000 by Anthony Freedman Racing and Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA) from the Torryburn Draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Doomben, Race 1, 2.48pm AEDT (1.38pm local), Racecourse Village Maiden Plate, $40,000, 1200m
Woodrow, 3-year-old gelding (Exceed And Excel x Miss Wilson {Stratum})
The Kris Lees-trained Woodrow (Exceed And Excel) lines up at Doomben on Wednesday for his owners Kia Ora Stud and Encompass Bloodstock.
He has been a very consistent performer in his career so far and he ran a solid second on the same track and over the same distance last start on March 18 behind Saint Aldwyn (Zoustar).
Woodrow is out of the very smart mare Miss Wilson (Stratum) who was a seven-time winner, her best wins were in the G1 Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, G3 Kelt Memorial Handicap and the G3 Cuddle Stakes.
Woodrow as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
She is also well-related being a half-sister to the New Zealand Horse of the Year and five-time Group 1 winner and stallion in Jimmy Choux (NZ). This is also the family of the extremely exciting 3-year-old Ohope Wins (NZ) (Thorn Park) who won two Group 2 races over 2000 metres through the summer in New Zealand, the G1 New Zealand Oaks, and ran a brave fourth last weekend in the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes for her new trainer Chris Waller.
Miss Wilson, in recent years has left a 2-year-old colt by Farnan, a yearling filly by Ole Kirk, a colt foal by Ole Kirk, and was served again by Ole Kirk last spring.
Woodrow was purchased by Riversley Park for $225,000 at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Looking Back:
Cavalry (Brutal {NZ}), Lady Catalina (Written Tycoon) and Confidentiality (Shalaa {Ire}) all won very nicely at Newcastle. They all look like progressive types.
