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 2-year-olds by Tassort and Noverre (NZ) chase maiden success at Scone on Tuesday.
Scone, Race 1, 12.10pm AEST, Upper Hunter Country Boosted Maiden Plate, $30,000, 1000m
Flaunter, 2-year-old filly (Tassort x Kissame Mucho {Fastnet Rock})
The Brett and Georgie Cavanough-trained 2-year-old filly Flaunter (Tassort) makes her debut at Scone on Tuesday. The promising youngster has had two quiet trials at Muswellbrook and Tamworth and looks ready to make her mark in the hands of Mitchell Bell.
Flaunter is the 11th live-foal out of Kissame Mucho (Fastnet Rock) who was unraced but has done a great job at stud leaving eight individual winners, The best of them has been the four-time winner and metropolitan performed Lavish Empire (Spieth {NZ}).
Tassort | Standing at Newgate Farm
Kissame Mucho is well-related being a half-sister to the Listed winners Frespanol (Choisir) and Essington (Redoute’s Choice), and she is also out of the Group 3 and dual Listed winner Besame Mucho (Encosta De Lago).
Kissame Mucho, since producing Flaunter, has left a yearling colt by Tassort, before she was retired from stud.
Flaunting was passed in short of her $30,000 reserve at the 2024 Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale.
Scone, Race 4, 1.55pm AEST, The Mayor’s Gallop Maiden Handicap, $27,000, 1300m
Hailstones (NZ), 2-year-old gelding (Noverre (NZ) x Cool Storm (NZ) {One Cool Cat {USA}})
The Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained 2-year-old gelding Hailstones (NZ) (Noverre {NZ}) makes his debut at Scone on Tuesday. He has had plenty of educational trials and this race looks like a good starting point.
Hailstones is out of the smart sprinting mare Cool Storm (NZ) (One Cool Cat {USA}) who was successful in the Listed Newmarket handicap over 1200 metres at Ellerslie. She has proven to be a successful broodmare leaving four winners with the best of them being the G1 Auckland Cup and G3 Waikato Cup winner Ocean Billy (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).
Hailstones (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
This is also the family of the Listed winners Flying Free (NZ) (Heroicity) and Shinko Bay (NZ) (Shinko King {Ire}), and the Group 3-winning stayer Trust In You (NZ) (Sweynesse).
Cool Storm, in recent times, has left a weanling filly by Super Seth, and was served by Auguste Rodin (Ire) last spring.
Hailstones was purchased for NZ$150,000 by Annabel Neasham/Rob Archibald Racing and Will Johnson Bloodstock from the Waikato Stud draft at the 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
Extremely Chic (Extreme Choice) - Ran an honest enough fourth at Canterbury.
Hello Captain (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) - Was a very impressive winner at Canterbury.
