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 Snitzel, Hellbent and I Am Invincible are chasing maiden success across Australia on Wednesday.
Kensington, Race 1, 12.15pm AEST, Hawaii Five Oh @ Vinery Stud 2YO Handicap, $60,000, 1400m
Nations League, 2-year-old colt (Snitzel x Fashion Faux Pas (USA) {Flatter {USA}})
The Chris Waller-trained Nations League (Snitzel) chases deserved maiden success on the Kensington on Wednesday. At his last two starts he has ran strong races, placing behind talented types St Gotthard (Snitzel) and Stormy Marco (Wootton Bassett {GB}), on the back of that strong form he looks well placed to pick up maiden success here.
Nations League is out of Fashion Faux Pas (USA) (Flatter {USA}), she was a dual Listed winner in the States and sold for $1.15 million in an Inglis Digital sale last January to Justin Carey.
National League as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She comes from a strong American family, and one stallion that does feature within the extended female family is Congrats (USA), who spent time shuttling from America to Vinery Stud in Australia.
Tom Magnier went to $1.7 million to secure Nations League at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and then at this year’s Inglis Australian Yearling Sale, Emirates Park, Michael Freedman Racing and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) went to $1.1 million to secure an Extreme Choice filly .
She has subsequently left a weanling filly by Snitzel, before being mated to Shinzo last spring.
Kensington, Race 2, 12.50pm AEST, TAB Maiden Plate, $100,000, 1400m
Peace Bird, 3-year-old filly (Hellbent x Dove Lake {Flying Spur})
The consistent Peace Bird (Hellbent) chases maiden success for trainer Ciaron Maher on the Kensington on Wednesday. The Cressfield-owned filly has ran some handy races in her career, including a solid second behind Go Glenn (Prized Icon) at Gosford at her last start
The Hellbent filly has a beautiful pedigree, she is out of Dove Lake (Flying Spur) who was a metropolitan 2-year-old winner in Sydney. She has left four individual winners including the six-time winner Lighthorse Lad (I Am Invincible).
Peace Bird as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Dove Lake is a half sister to Headwater, who is a stallion at VineryStud. He was the winner of the G2 Silver Slipper Stakes, Listed Kensington Stakes, and also ran fourth in the G1 Moir Stakes.
Other top-class performers in the family include the the Group 1 winner and young sire Captivant, the Group 2 winner First Command (Commands), The Hong Kong Group 2 winner Oneworld (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), and the G1 New Zealand Derby winner Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).
Dove Lake in recent years, has left a Hellbent yearling full sister to Peace Bird named Laughing Dove, before she sadly died late last year.
Peace Bird was passed in short of her $100,000 reserve when presented by Cressfield at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Bendigo, Race 3, 1.35pm AEST, Catchcart Smash Repairs 2YO Maiden Plate, $42,500, 1000m
Exacting Standard, 2-year-old colt (I Am Invincible x Suspicieuse (Fr) {Elusive City {USA}})
The Shane Nichols and Hayden Black-trained Exacting Standard (I Am Invincible) makes his debut at Bendigo on Wednesday after showing some very good jump-out form to prepare for his debut assignment.
Exacting Standard is out of the French-bred mare Suspicieuse (Fr) (Elusive City {USA}), she was a winner over 2000 metres and was placed at Listed level. She has already left three winners including the dual Group winner and sire Dubious.
Exacting Standard as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
In recent years, Suspicieuse has left a yearling colt by Alabama Express, a weanling colt by Pierata, and was served by Growing Empire last spring.
Exacting Standard was purchased by Shane Nichols Racing and Horse Ventures for $290,000 from the Yulong draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Looking Back:
Think About Her (So You Think {NZ}) - Failed to feature at Moe, finishing a well-beaten eighth.
Prophet's Lass (Farnan) ran a solid third at Bathurst, a win is getting close.
