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 well-bred 2-year-old fillies by Snitzel and Home Affairs go head-to-head at Listed level at Scone, while an Ole Kirk 3-year-old filly chases maiden success at Kembla Grange.
Scone, Race 3, 12.15pm AEST, Listed Yarraman Park Woodlands Stakes, $200,000, 1100m
Moscatel, 2-year-old filly (Snitzel x Sweet Sherry {Bel Esprit})
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Moscatel (Snitzel) chases Listed success at Scone at start number two after being a dominant winner at her first start on the Kensington late last month.
She looks a great each-way chance in this event but Rachel King will have to weave some magic from barrier number 19.
Moscatel is a half-sister to the G2 Percy Sykes Stakes winner Eneeza (Exceed And Excel), herself a $1.1 million yearling, Moscatel is out of G2 Euclase Stakes victrix Sweet Sherry (Bel Esprit) who also won twice at Listed level in her four win career.
Moscatel as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Sweet Sherry is a half-sister to dual Group 2 winner Arinosa (Dash For Cash) and Arinosa’s two stakes placed full siblings Onerous and Andez.
Go Bloodstock, along with Michael Freedman and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $1.7 million for Sweet Sherry’s current yearling filly by I Am Invincible at this year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Sweet Sherry has a weanling filly by Snitzel, and was served by I Am Invincible last spring.
Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott Racing and Kestrel Thoroughbreds put up their hands to the tune of $1.6 million from the Silverdale Farm draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for Moscatel on behalf of Resolute Racing.
Scone, Race 3, 12.15pm AEST, Listed Yarraman Park Woodlands Stakes, $200,000, 1100m
La Gitana, 2-year-old filly (Home Affairs x Hips Don’t Lie (NZ) {Stravinsky {USA}})
The promising La Gitana (Home Affairs) looks a good each-way chance at Scone on Saturday for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes. She ran a solid third at Group 3 level behind Big Sky (Bivouac) in late January, and then ran a very good second behind her stablemate Gin Twist (Home Affairs) at Listed level at Flemington.
La Gitana’s dam Hips Don’t Lie (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) was a five-time winner and was successful at Group 2 level, and Listed level twice as a juvenile.
She has gone onto become an outstanding broodmare, leaving nine winners , including Ennis Hill (Fastnet Rock) who won the G3 Chairman’s Stakes, and has already proven herself as a broodmare leaving the classy Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}) who was the Champion 2-year-old filly in Australia, picking up the G2 Reisling Stakes, G3 Widden Stakes and the R. Listed Inglis 2YO Millenium.
La Gitana as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Hips Don’t Lie is also the dam of the young Coolmore Stud sire in Acrobat, and Lake Geneva (Fastnet Rock), she won the Listed William Crockett Stakes, and placed in the G1 Golden Slipper and G1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
In recent years, Hips Don’t Lie has left a filly foal by Wootton Bassett (GB), before missing to Storm Boy and So You Think (NZ) last spring.
La Gitana was purchased by James Bester Bloodstock for $400,000 from the Coolmore Stud draft at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. La Gitana is being offered as Lot 406 from the Newington Farm Premium Consignment at the upcoming 2026 Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale.
Kembla Grange, Race 2, 12.35pm AEST, Peak Gardens F&M Maiden Handicap, $42,000, 1200m
Cold Gin, 3-year-old filly (Ole Kirk x Saas Fee {All Too Hard})
Cold Gin, a daughter of Ole Kirk, chases maiden success for her trainer Bjorn Baker and owners Darby Racing at Kembla Grange on Saturday over 1200 metres.
She has run consistently so far in her career, and going off her resuming run for third at Canterbury late last month she looks very much a contender in this as you can forgive her second-up run at Kembla Grange last time out.
Cold Gin as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
This 3-year-old filly is the first foal from Saas Fee (All Too Hard), she was a two-time winner on the track and placed in the G3 Belle Of The Turf Stakes.
She is a half-sister to the talented seven-time and Group 3 winning gelding Hard Landing (All Too Hard), and is out of the super talented filly Snitzerland (Snitzel). She was victorious in the G1 Lightning Stakes as well as another five Group races.
Saas Fee has since produced a 2-year-old filly named Viva Invincible (I Am Invincible), a yearling colt by Exceedance, a weanling colt by Ole Kirk last spring and was subsequently served by Farnan.
Cold Gin was purchased for $300,000 by Darby Racing and Deburgh Equine and John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Vinery Stud at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Looking Back:
Sparkle Time (NZ) (Noverre {NZ}) - Disappointed running eighth at Pakenham.
Flirtation (Snitzel) - Ran a strong finishing second on debut at Scone.
