by Bren O'Brien
Looking Ahead puts the spotlight on runners of interest across Australia and New Zealand. Whether they are a particularly well-bred or high-priced runner having their first or second start, a promising galloper returning to the track or a horse which has trialled particularly well, we’ll aim to give you something to follow.
On Tuesday, we look at three runners at Pakenham. There's a debutante with a Group 1 winning sire and dam, a super speedy filly resuming from Lindsay Park and one of her stablemates coming through a terrific form race.
Pakenham, Race 1, $23,000 Maiden - 1400m - 13:25 AEST
Not many times do you see the product of two Group 1 winners kick off their career on a Tuesday at Pakenham, but Miss Five Hundred (Dundeel {NZ}) is set to make her bow in a small but interesting field. As her name would indicate, she is out of G1 Doomben Cup winning mare Cinque Cento (Nothin' Leica Dane {Aus}).
Cinque Cento has yet produced anything matching her ability but five of her six foals have gone on to be winners. This one was brought by trainer Peter Gelagotis for $110,000 at the 2017 Premier Sale.
Miss Five Hundred (Dundeel x Cinque Cento)
Miss Five Hundred holds a nomination of the G1 Thousand Guineas as does Yulong Meteor ((Medaglia D'Oro {USA}), whose dam Gioe is out of 2001 Thousand Guineas winner Magical Miss.
Pakenham, Race 3, $23,000 Maiden - 1000m - 14:25 AEST
Lindsay Park have been dominating these maidens on the synthetic of late with their 3-year-olds and bring Final Choice (Nicconi {Aus}) to Pakenham to kick off her spring campaign in Race 3.
We haven’t seen this homebred filly since she debuted with a very creditable fifth, beaten just over 2l in a G3 Maribyrnong Plate, but assuming she has taken natural improvement from there, she should be hard to beat here. She did have two public jumpouts in the autumn, winning one of them impressively).
She is a half sister to listed winner Wait For No One (Lonhro {Aus}) and her dam was a half to Listed winner Valentia .
Pakenham, Race 4, $23,000 Maiden - 1200m - 14:25 AEST
Another three-year-old worth highlighting from the Hayes, Hayes and Dabernig stable is Inglesias (Choisir {Aus}). Brought through the Adelaide Magic Millions for $110,000, he is out of a unraced half sister to G1 Goodwood winner Zip Zip Aray, whose family also includes the prolific producer Nicola Lass, the dam of Niconero and Nicconi.
Inglesias had one start as 2-year-old in a white-hot form race at Ballarat won by Hawkshot (Fiorente {Ire}). Alongside of him that day was subsequent black-type winner Vassilator (Zacinto {GB}). He seems very well suited in this race.
