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 promising types by So You Think (NZ) and North Pacific chase maiden success on Friday.
Canberra Acton, Race 4, 2.19pm AEST, Ginninderry Maiden Plate, $22,000, 1280m
Opine, 3-year-old gelding (So You Think (NZ) x Asheerah {Redoute’s Choice})
The Joseph Pride-trained Opine (So You Think {NZ}) makes his second start on the Canberra Acton track on Friday over 1280 metres. The Proven Thoroughbreds-owned gelding has shown a bit of talent at the trials and ran a solid fourth on debut at Gosford earlier this month.
Opine is the eighth foal out of Asheerah (Redoute’s Choice) who was a winner over 1200 metres. She has been a solid producer at stud, leaving five winners, with the best of them being the 13-time winner and the Horse of the Year in Mauritius in Alishibaa (Street Cry {Ire}) who was also Listed placed in South Africa.
Opine as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Opine’s grandam is the classy Rewaaya (NZ) (Singspiel {Ire}) who was the winner of the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and the G3 Let’s Elope Stakes.
Asheerah, since producing Opine, has left a 2-year-old filly named Broadway Bound (Capitalist), a yearling colt by Stay Inside, a weanling filly by Castelvecchio, and was served by Peltzer last spring.
Opine was purchased for $40,000 by Proven Thoroughbreds and Pride Racing from the Blue Gum Farm draft at the 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Sportsbet-Ballarat Synthetic, Race 3, 1.40pm Global Turf Maiden Plate, $32,000, 1200m
Expensive Taste, 2-year-old filly (North Pacific x Taste Of Money {Not A Single Doubt})
The consistent Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained 2-year-old filly Expensive Taste (North Pacific) chases deserved maiden success on the synthetic at Ballarat on Friday. She deserves a winning turn, having placed in all three of her career starts including gaining black type running third in the G3 Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington.
Expensive Taste as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Expensive Taste is out of the four-time winning mare Taste Of Money (Not A Single Doubt), she has already left two winners at stud including the Group 3-placed Brave Strike (Brave Smash {Jpn}) and the dual winner Scrumptious (Tassort).
Expensive Taste was purchased for $250,000 by McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2025 William Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Looking Back:
Southport (Bivouac) - The races were abandoned at Wyong, so he will have to wait for another day.
Mission Of Joy (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) - Ran an honest enough fourth at Bendigo.
