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 well-bred types by Exceed And Excel, I Am Invincible and Farnan chase maiden success across Australia on Wednesday.
Warwick Farm, Race 2, 1.20pm, AEST, Drinkwise 2YO C&G Maiden Plate, $60,000, 1000m
Artemex, 2-year-old colt (Exceed And Excel x Artemis Rose {Lonhro})
Artemex (Exceed And Excel) makes his third start at Warwick Farm for trainer Ciaron Maher on Wednesday. The Dynamic Syndications-owned colt has only had two starts in his career so far and ran a solid second at Newcastle last month behind Silk Lace (Gold Standard).
Artemex is from the second-to-last crop of Champion sire Exceed And Excel, and is the fifth foal out of Artemis Rose (Lonhro), a 1000 metre winner who was also metropolitan-placed in Sydney.
Artemex as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Artemis Rose has strong bloodlines, being a three-quarter sister to the dam of Derryn, a Group 1 producing sire in New Zealand, and a half-sister to the dam of Forensics (Flying Spur), a three-time Group 1 winner including the G1 Golden Slipper.
Artemis Rose, in recent times, has left an Extreme Choice yearling colt, a King's Legacy weanling colt and was served by Broadsiding last spring.
Artemex was purchased by Dynamic Syndications and Dean Watt Bloodstock for $120,000 from the Newgate Farm draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Eagle Farm, Race 1, 11.57am AEST, Become A BRC Member Maiden Plate, $40,000, 1000m
Yoweri, 3-year-old gelding (I Am Invincible x Reign (Ire) {Elusive City {USA}})
The I Am Invincible gelding Yoweri (I Am Invincible) will be making his second start for trainer Tony Gollan and his fifth start overall at Eagle Farm on Wednesday. He has been running consistently and has not finished further back in his four career starts so far.
Yoweri is out of the Elusive City (USA) mare Reign (Ire), who was placed on the track at Longchamp in France as a 2-year-old.
I Am Invincible | Standing at Yarraman Park
Reign has been a successful broodmare already having produced five winners, including two Italian Listed winners in Gold Tail (Ire) (Dream Ahead {USA}) and Sopran Ival (Ire) (Ivawood {Ire}).
She is also well-related being a half sister to Brooklyn Hustle (Starspangledbanner) who has been a Group 2 and Group 3 winner for Rosemont Stud.
Reign has a 2-year-old filly named Hold Sway (Bivouac), a yearling filly by Justify (USA), and was served by Henry Longfellow (Ire) last spring.
Yoweri was withdrawn from both the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale and the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Eagle Farm, Race 4, 1.42pm AEST, Sky Racing QTIS 2YO Handicap, $38,000, 1300m
The Thorncaster, 2-year-old rig (Farnan x Rosa's Magic {Sebring})
Trained by Ciaron Maher, The Thorncaster (Farnan) debuted at Wyong over 1200 metres at the end of March for a fourth placing, running on well from the rear of the field. He then backed that up with a close-up second on this track behind Silken Salute (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) over 1400 metres.
The Thorncaster is a son of Rosa's Magic (Sebring), a winning daughter of G3 Merson Cooper Stakes winner Rosa's Joy (Rory's Jester) and a half-sister to stakes winner and stakes producer Rosa's Spur (Flying Spur).
The Thorncaster as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Rosa's Spur has produced the dams and grandams of a number of stakes winners including dual Group 2 winner Pure Elation (I Am Invincible), Listed Twilight Glow Stakes winner Ruska Roma (Super Seth), and dual Group 3 winner Jennilala (Shalaa {Ire}).
Since producing The Thorncaster, Rosa's Magic has produced a weanling filly by In The Congo and visited Farnan again in 2025.
Bennett Racing purchased The Thorncaster for $160,000 at last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Bell River Thoroughbreds.
Looking Back:
Above The Law (Harry Angel {Ire}) - Was a well-deserved winner on the Illawarra Grange.
Hold My Drink (Tassort) - Ran an honest third at the same venue. He is running consistently at the moment.
