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.
Spring fever sweeps metropolitan racing on Saturday, where a son of an American supersire bids to go one better than his last run at Group level and a Too Darn Hot (GB) colt aims to strike in the Listed Michael Moroney. Plus, a daughter of a G1 New Zealand Oaks winner tries to kick off on the right foot at Kembla Grange.
Rosehill Gardens, Race 6, 2.50pm, AEST, Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality, $250,000, 1400m
Genesis Runner, 3-year-old colt (Gun Runner (USA) x Originator (USA) {Artie Schiller {USA}})
One of the few progeny of American super sire Gun Runner (USA) in Australia, Genesis Runner is taking it to the next level in the G3 Ming Dynasty Quality, having finished second in the G3 Up And Coming Stakes last month. A handful of acceptors finished behind him in the Up And Coming, for which he has suffered no weight penalty and gets in carrying 5.5kg less than the top weight, G1 JJ Atkins Plate third Stormy Marco (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Plus, his closing finish over last start's 1300 metres suggests the extra half furlong will be to suit.
Genesis Runner as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Also a winner at two, Genesis Runner is the first winner for Listed-performed Originator (USA) (Artie Schiller {USA}), herself the dam of Listed-winning Costume Designer (USA) (Capote {USA}) and a half to the dam of multiple Group winner Fluffy Socks (USA) (Slumber {GB}).
Originator's second foal, a colt by Zoustar, passed in at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale this year and, after missing a season to the same sire, she is due to produce another foal by him this spring.
YLP Racing purchased Genesis Runner for $575,000 from Widden Stud at last year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
There were only three Gun Runner offspring born in Australia in Genesis Runner's crop and he is the best performed of the group. Arms Trader, a son of G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Estijaab (Snitzel), still awaits his debut.
Flemington, Race 2, 12.40pm, AEST, Listed Michael Moroney, $175,000, 1400m
Somethings Burnin', 3-year-old colt (Too Darn Hot (GB) x Aristocratic Miss {Foxwedge})
The inaugural running of the Listed Michael Moroney sees a clash of last season's 2-year-old titans, pitting the likes of Unit Five (Supido), Rich On Bubbles (Capitalist), Diameter (Brazen Beau), Big Wigs (Gold Standard), and Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution) against one another - and in the thick of it will be Somethings Burnin' (Too Darn Hot {GB}) looking for his black-type breakthrough.
He swooped in to win at Sandown two starts back before a close second at the same track, and will appreciate another 100 metres to let down.
Somethings Burnin' as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Somethings Burnin' is the second foal out of multiple Group performer Aristocratic Miss (Foxwedge), who finished fourth or better at stakes level as a juvenile before going on to record four wins from 1300 metres to 2100 metres. Her first foal is the dual winner Zoucratic (Zoustar) and she has also produced a Supido filly who heads to the sales next year. She was covered by Broadsiding in October 2025.
Aristocratic Miss is a daughter of Listed Queen Adelaide Stakes winner Golden Pedigree (Gold Brose), whose four black-type earning siblings include the dam of G1 Metropolitan Handicap winner The Verminator (Jeune {GB}). The family has also produced Spirits Aubeer - The Hulk (HK) (Spirit Of Boom), whose eight wins include the G3 Bonecrusher Stakes, and G3 Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic winner Liberty's Gem (Statue of Liberty {USA}).
Somethings' Burnin was an $850,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase for Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock from the draft of Widden Stud, and he races in the familiar colours of Ritchies Racing.
Kembla Grange, Race 6, 3.44pm, AEST, Tiny Tins Trash Dash Maiden Plate, $42,000, 1000m
Fovea, 3-year-old filly (Farnan x Jennifer Eccles (NZ) {Rip Van Winkle {Ire}})
This debutante filly from the Bjorn Baker stable has big shoes to fill, being a daughter of G1 New Zealand Oaks victress Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), but Fovea has set herself up right with two sharp trial wins by big margins. In the first one, she beat subsequent Canterbury winner Tenenbaum (Snitzel) by nearly seven lengths and put a cool six lengths on her rivals over 800 metres at Gosford.
Jennifer Eccles also won a trio of Group 2 races to go with her Group 1 - the G2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic, G2 Eight Carat Classic, and G2 Lowland Stakes - before being purchased by Kia Ora Stud as a broodmare prospect for NZ$800,000 on Gavelhouse Plus.
Fovea as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Her first foal, Group-performed Farnicle (Farnan), was a $600,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in partnership with Kestrel Bloodstock, while this year Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) paid $850,000 for her I Am Invincible filly at the same venue.
Jennifer Eccles was unlucky to miss to both Snitzel and I Am Invincible last year, so has no yearling for the 2027 sales, but she is due to deliver a full sibling to Fovea and Farnicle this month.
Fovea was passed in at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale and retained to race by her breeder, Kia Ora Stud.
Looking Back
Fort Sumter (Farnan) - Never really in the mix when finishing sixth at Geelong.
Bodmin Moor (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}) - Scratched and enterd instead for Doomben next Wednesday.
