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.
On Thursday, two 3-year-olds will try to knock off their maidens on debut at Wyong, and at Pakenham's night meeting, an intriguing import will attempt the same for Phillip Stokes.
Wyong, Race 2, 1:20pm AEDT, Tall Timbers Pony Club Midway Maiden Plate, $45,000, 1200m
Time To Dance (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (Savabeel x Donna Imelda (NZ) {O'Reilly {NZ}})
Time To Dance (NZ) (Savabeel) will travel from his home track of Warwick Farm to start his career at Wyong on Thursday. The gelding has had three trials at home and was most recently third by two thirds of a length.
Time To Dance is the second foal out of Donna Imelda (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), a winning daughter of Listed Oaklands Plate winner Donna Cattiva (NZ) (Captain Rio {GB}), a full sister to Champion New Zealand 2YO Il Quello Veloce (NZ) and a half to Miles Of Krishan (Snitzel), the dam of Growing Empire.
Time To Dance (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
This family descends from Classy Twiggy (Twig Moss {Fr}), also the second dam of Tiger Tees (NZ) (Dubawi {Ire}), Terra Vista (NZ) (Captain Rio {GB}), and dual Singapore Horse Of The Year Super Easy (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
Donna Imelda hasn't produced a foal since Time To Dance, but she was covered by Noverre (NZ) in 2025.
Ellerslie Lodge purchased Time To Dance for NZ$110,000 from the draft of Waikato Stud at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
Wyong, Race 2, 1:20pm AEDT, Tall Timbers Pony Club Midway Maiden Plate, $45,000, 1200m
Golden Princess, 3-year-old filly (Maurice (Jpn) x Flora De Mariposa {Frankel {GB}})
Mark Minervini has well prepared Golden Princess (Maurice {Jpn}) for debut with four trials, and she has placed in the last three of them. In one trial, she was second to Dark Justice (Justify {USA}), who was subsequently a winner on debut at Taree.
Golden Princess is the third foal out of Flora De Mariposa (Frankel {GB}), a winner in Japan who is a daughter of G2 Counties Cup winner Jeu De Cartes (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}), making her a half-sister to stakes-performed Merited (Fastnet Rock). Jeu De Cartes was a half-sister to New Zealand Champion Stayer Nom De Jeu (NZ).
Golden Princess as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Flora De Mariposa's first two foals are both winners. Since producing Golden Princess, she has foaled a yearling filly by Dundeel (NZ), who was a $50,000 purchase for Domeland at this year's Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. She was served by Castelvecchio in 2025.
Minervini Racing Pty Ltd paid $70,000 for Golden Princess out of Arrowfield Stud's 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale draft.
Pakenham, Race 3, 6:15pm AEDT, Cookers Bulk Oil System Maiden Plate, $45,000, 1200m
Braemar Hill (Ire), 4-year-old gelding (Earthlight (Ire) x Hundredsnthousands (Ire) {Thousand Words {GB}})
After winning two jump-outs in style, the Phillip Stokes-trained Braemar Hill (Ire) (Earthlight {Ire}) will make his debut over the 1200 metres at Pakenham on Thursday evening, with Lachlan Neindorf retaining the ride. He will carry top weight in the maiden field, being a 4-year-old, but he has the benefit of being well accustomed to the track.
Earthlight (Ire) | Standing at Darley
Braemer Hill is the eighth foal out of Hundredsnthousands (Ire) (Thousand Words {GB}), whose first two foals are the stakes performers Spanish Fly (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Omaha Beach (GB) (Epaulette). Spanish Fly is the dam of Listed Westow Stakes winner Last Crusader (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). This is the family of international Group 1 winner and sire River Keen (Ire).
Since producing Braemer Hill, Hundredsnthousands has most recently foaled a 2-year-old colt by Persian Force (Ire).
Braemar Hill was a €40,000 ($66,000) purchase for Carrick Bloodstock at the 2023 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale from Ballough House Stud, and was unraced in Ireland before being imported to Australia last November.
Looking Back:
St Gotthard (Snitzel) - A smart winner who showed his class when holding off the well-bred Peyton (Zoustar).
Whitehall (I Am Invincible) - Scratched and saved for another day.
Capital Illusion (Capitalist) - Not disgraced when third to the fast finishing favourite Bangkok Hottie (Too Darn Hot {GB}).
