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 Thursday, we follow a million-dollar filly to Echuca, an American-born colt to Newcastle and a horse which was sold three times to Ballina.
Echuca Race 5 - Echuca Moama Tourism CL1 Hcp - 1209m - 15:30 AEST
A couple of weeks back we highlighted million-dollar yearling Casadiva (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in this column ahead of her run in the G3 Quezette S. at Caulfield. She was outclassed there but heads back to a Class 1 at Echuca, a race which should be at her mercy.
Casadiva sold for $1.15 million as a yearling
Trainer Brent Stanley has a big wrap on this filly, and she is still on a path towards the G1 Thousand Guineas. She was only beaten five lengths by Sunlight last time which compares well to her opposition here.
Out of a group placed mare, who was a half-sister blacktype winners Tully Thunder and Sufficient, Casadiva is a half to stakes winner Zamzam and was sold for $1.15m to Cloud 9 Thoroughbreds at the 2017 Easter Yearling Sale.
Gosford Race 7 - ITI NSW CL2 Hcp - 1200m - 16:35 AEST
Mandalong Tapit (USA) {Tapit {USA} is a 3-year-old colt who was bred by Spendthrift and born in the USA to Southern Hemisphere time. He was sold for $300,000 as a yearling to Ric Pisaturo at Mandalong Park, one of only three Tapit yearlings sold in Australia in 2017.
His dam was a Group 3 winner with her dam also a blacktype winner.
Mandalong Tapit was a $300,000 yearling purchase
Gary Nickson prepared Mandalong Tapit for his first campaign and the grey acquitted himself well, winning a maiden at Newcastle and rounding off his two-year-old year with a creditable sixth in the Listed Fernhill S. at Randwick.
Nickson has given him two trials headed into this race and he looks a horse well worth following this campaign.
Ballina Race 8 - Tursa CL2 Hcp - 1000m - 16:50 AEST
Few horses go through the sales ring three times by their third birthday but Proof Perfect (Star Witness {Aus}) has that honour. Sold for $45,000 as a weanling, he made $52,500 at the Adelaide Yearling Sale 12 months' later. But that investment was rolled into a $315,000 return at the 2YOs in Training Sale later that year.
Proof Perfect as a yearling
From the family of French Emotion, Shot of Thunder and Celebrity Princess, he was initially slated to go to Singapore but has been building a career in Australia under trainer Lindsay Hatch, with wins at his last two starts, including by a big margin at Toowoomba last time out.
He looks to be a horse who will progress well through his classes.
