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 Sunday, we take in a first starter at Ballarat who was a high-priced yearling, a 3-year-old resuming at Wyong and a $1500 buy having her first start for in-form trainer Kris Lees at Port Macquarie.
Ballarat Race 1, Whitford Liquid Waste Mdn, $26,000, 1400m, 12:45pm AEST
Maracaibo (Redoute's Choice) makes her debut in what looks a strong maiden for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young having had the one trial in preparation.
A $400,000 buy at the 2017 Magic Millions, she is the first foal to race from an unraced half-sister to black-type winners Calveen (NZ), Kosi Bay (NZ), Fireworks and Striker (NZ).
Maracaibo as a yearling
Wyong Race 4, JA Tight Plumbing and Wholesale Appliances Mdn, $35,000, 1000m, 2:55pm AEST
Bentley Magic (Not a Single Doubt) resumes as a 3-year-old here having been well-beaten in his only start to date as an early season 2-year-old. He looks to have shown considerable improvement through his recent trial when second at Warwick Farm and it wouldn’t surprise to see him break his maiden in this race.
This colt was a $200,000 Magic Millions buy by trainer Matthew Smith and is the first foal from stakes-placed mare Recoinage. She is a half-sister to G2 winner Sovereign Nation as well as the useful country sprinter Sovereign Duke. The third dam on the pedigree page is the black-type winner Stoneyfell Road who is the dam of multiple Group 1 winning mare Princess Coup (NZ).
Bentley Magic as a yearling
Port Macquarie Race 2, Mid-Coast Switchboards F&M Mdn, $22,000, 1106m, 1:50pm AEST
An interesting first starter from the Kris Lees stable and isn’t Lees in great form as a trainer at the moment? Marsh (Onemorenomore) cost just $1500 as a yearling but does boast some interesting names on her pedigree.
Her dam Inca Lagoon has also produced Aztec Prince (Albrecht), who was a winner at Ipswich earlier this month. Inca Lagoon was an unraced daughter of Tyrolean, who was a Listed winner and a half-sister to Yippyio, the Brisbane Cup and Queensland Derby winner, and Iglesia, who still holds the 1200m Flemington track record.
Marsh has had two trials and been close up in both and this looks a relatively easy maiden.
