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 3-year-olds by I Am Invincible and Pinatubo (Ire) go head-to-head at Canterbury on Friday evening and a beautifully bred Home Affairs colt also chases maiden success at the same venue.
Canterbury Park, Race 1, 6pm AEDT, Schweppes 3YO Fillies Maiden Handicap, $60,000, 1100m
Water City, 3-year-old filly (I Am Invincible x Piping Hot {More Than Ready {USA}})
The beautifully-bred Water City (I Am Invincible) chases maiden success at start number three at Canterbury on Friday. The I Am Invincible filly ran third at Hawkesbury on debut behind Revolina (Russian Revolution) and she won at Listed level subsequently and then she ran another third behind Time To Dance (NZ) (Savabeel) so her form looks strong.
I Am Invincible | Standing at Yarraman Park Stud
Water City is out of the two-time winner Piping Hot (More Than Ready {USA}) who has already left the dual group 1 winning sprinter Coolangatta (Written Tycoon).
Piping Hot is also very well-related being a half-sister to the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner and sire Reann and being out of the G2 Moonee Valley Oaks winner Ribe (Danehill {USA}).
Piping Hot in recent times has produced a 2-year-old named White House (Home Affairs), a yearling filly by Wootton Bassett (GB) and she foaled a City Of Troy (USA) colt late last month.
Canterbury Park, Race 1, 6pm AEDT, Schweppes 3YO Fillies Maiden Handicap, $60,000, 1100m
Essay, 3-year-old filly (Zousain x Written Star {Written Tycoon})
The Richard Collett-trained Essay (Zousain) lines up for her third start at Canterbury on Friday night. The Zousain 3-year-old filly ran seventh on debut in the Listed Lonhro Plate on debut after being well-backed, then after a let-up ran on to finish fifth at Hawkesbury in July. Since then she has had a break and a couple of trials, including winning one nicely at Warwick Farm to prepare for her resuming run.
Essay as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Essay is the first-foal out of the unraced mare Written Star (Written Tycoon), who comes from the extended family of the Group 3-winner Testashadow (Testa Rossa) and the Champion sire Zoustar.
A couple of other talented family members include the Group 2-winner Dusty Star (General Nediym) and Zoustar’s Listed winning Irish half-brother Emperor Of The Sun (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Written Star, in recent times, has left a 2-year-old gelding named Hard Copy (All Too Hard) who placed on debut last week in South Australia, a yearling filly by Exceedance, and she is due to foal to Growing Empire this month.
Essay was purchased for $100,000 by Collett Racing Stables from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2025 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Canterbury Park, Race 2, 6.30pm AEDT, Piccolo Me 3YO Maiden Handicap, $60,000, 1250m
Gerroa, 3-year-old colt (Home Affairs x Little Surfer Girl {Encosta De Lago})
The beautifully-bred Gerroa (Home Affairs) makes his second start at Canterbury on Friday night for trainer Chris Waller. He ran a tidy enough fifth on debut at Warwick Farm back in July behind the tidy type Castillo King (Farnan), since then he has had a break and two trials at Rosehill to prepare for his resuming run.
Gerroa was bred and is raced by Ingham Racing, he is the ninth foal from the Encosta De Lago mare Little Surfer Girl.
Home Affairs | Standing at Coolmore Stud
Little Surfer Girl was a seven-time winner, including in three Listed races. She is out of the outstanding Special Harmony (Spinning World {USA}), a three-time Group 1 winner who has produced six individual winners.
Little Surfer Girl has excelled at stud leaving six winners with the best of them clearly being Fangirl (Sebring) who won 12 races with four of them being at Group 1 level and a total of just over $11.1 million in prize money.
Little Surfer Girl has more recently produced a 2-year-old filly by Home Affairs named Gerroa Princess, and since then she has been retired from stud.
Looking Back
Gattino Veloce (Toronado {Ire}) - Was an impressive winner at Seymour, scoring in style by two lengths over the 1000 metres.
Carnevale (Pinatubo {Ire}) - Ran a very close second at Seymour, a win is getting close.
