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.
Two classy 2-year-olds by Snitzel and another by Stay Inside chase Group 3 success across Australia on Saturday.
Royal Randwick, Race 1, 12.25pm AEDT, G3 Widden Kindergarten Stakes, $250,000, 1100m
The Next Episode, 2-year-old colt (Snitzel x Humma Humma {Denman})
The Ciaron Maher-trained The Next Episode (Snitzel) chases Group 3 success at Randwick on Saturday, from which may propel the beautifully-bred colt towards a future career as a stallion.
He was a very impressive winner at Warwick Farm at his last start earlier last month, and has been kept up to the mark with a lovely tick-over trial when running second at Rosehill behind Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot {GB}) over 1030 metres on March 24.
The Next Episode is the equal-highest-priced yearling by the Champion Snitzel sold, and is the second foal out of Humma Humma (Denman), a multiple stakes-winning mare of the G3 Proud Miss Stakes, Listed Alinghi Stakes and Listed Redelva Stakes, and a half-sister to the Listed winner Tycoon Humma (Capitalist).
The Next Episode as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Her first foal, Price Tag (Zoustar), has already made a bright start to her career, placing in the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (f), the Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes, and running fourth in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate last season as a 2-year-old.
Humma Humma has an I Am Invincible yearling colt that was purchased for $600,000 by McEvoy Mitchell Racing Pty Ltd and Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) at the recent Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, a Zoustar weanling filly and missed to Zoustar last spring.
The Next Episode was purchased for $2.8 million from the Widden Stud draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock.
Royal Randwick, Race 1, 12.25pm AEDT, G3 Widden Kindergarten Stakes, $250,000, 1100m
Blue Door, 2-year-old filly (Stay Inside x Notting Hill {Pierro})
The Bjorn Baker-trained Blue Door (Stay Inside) makes her debut in the G3 Kindergarten Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. She has looked very smart when winning at the Rosehill trials on March 24 by a widening seven lengths over 900 metres.
Blue Door is out of Notting Hill (Pierro), a daughter of prolific producer Monsoon Wedding (Danehill {USA}), who is also a full-sister to the Champion stallion Redoute’s Choice.
Blue Door as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Other Group winners that feature within the family are Salameh (Secret Savings {USA}), Shoals (Fastnet Rock), Schwarz, Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai), Gathering (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) and Rustic Steel (Deep Field).
Notting Hill, in recent times, has left an I Am Invincible weanling colt and visited Too Darn Hot (GB) in 2025.
Blue Door was a $400,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds, from the draft of Yarraman Park Stud.
Ascot, Race 8, 7.10pm AEDT (4.10pm local), G3 Swan Draught - Gimcrack Stakes, $200,000, 1100m
Aurum Belle, 2-year-old filly (Snitzel x Dame Giselle {I Am Invincible})
The talented Aurum Belle (Snitzel) chases her first Group win at Ascot in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes on Saturday. She could not have been more impressive winning her first two starts on the same track over 1000 metres, and she looks a great chance to take her unbeaten record to three for her trainer Neville Parnham.
Aurum Belle is the second foal out of the classy Dame Giselle (I Am Invincible) who was a five-time winner and was successful in the G2 Reisling Stakes, G2 Silver Shadow Stakes, G2 Furious Stakes, and the G2 Tea Rose Stakes, as well as placing in the G1 Coolmore Classic.
Aurum Belle as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Dame Giselle is very well-related being a three-quarter-sister to the Listed winner Steal My Kisses (I Am Invincible), and a half-sister to The Fairy’s Kiss (Eluusive Quality {USA}) who was Group-placed on the track, and then left the Group 1 winning 2-year-old Ulanova (NZ) (Santos) as a broodmare.
Dame Giselle, in recent times, has left an Extreme Choice yearling colt, a Snitzel filly foal, and was served by Zoustar last spring.
Aurum Belle was purchased for $725,000 by Parnham Racing and Ridgeport from The Chase draft at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale
Looking Back:
Alcaraz (Snitzel) - Was scratched from his race at Cranbourne, he will keep for another day.
Dama Royale (Royal Meeting {Ire}) - Disappointed running seventh at Ballarat.
