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 visit Bendigo to watch a couple of Danny O'Brien's 3-year-olds before moving to Hawkesbury to check out a resuming gelding from the Waterhouse and Bott yard.
Bendigo Race 1, Share Media Maiden Plate, $26,000, 1300m - 12:55pm AEST
While a lot of attention will be focussed on Prince of Caviar (Sebring), his close relation Spilia (Pierro) is definitely a horse worth following. A $400,000 buy at the 2017 Easter Sales, this colt is out of Belle Couture, the half-sister to Black Caviar and All Too Hard.
He has had just one run, finishing ninth on heavy track at Bendigo as a 2-year-old but he looks to have returned better in his 3-year-old year. He was narrowly beaten in a recent Cranbourne trial and looks a much-improved horse. He'll have his work cut out to knock off Prince of Caviar, but he should be winning soon.
Spilia as a yearling
Bendigo Race 2 Bet 365 Maiden Plate, $26,000, 1300m - 1:30pm AEST
Provan, another Pierro from the Danny O'Brien stable, makes his debut in Race 2. He ran third in a recent Cranbourne trial and with a good barrier here should prove pretty competitive on debut.
A $190,000 buy at the 2017 Easter Sales, he is out of black-type winning mare Nediym's Glow, who is a half-sister to the likes of Red Colussus and Radiant Star. Nediym's Glow was good enough to win at Flemington on debut before winning a G2 Blue Diamond Prelude at her second start.
Provan as a yearling
Hawkesbury Race 2, Seppelt the Great Entertainer Mdn, $35,000, 1300m - 1:35pm AEST
Ulusaba (Exceed and Excel) resumes here for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott having had three trials, all of which he has been very competitive in. He only had a couple of starts as a 2-year-old running third on debut before finishing last at his subsequent start.
A $230,000 buy from the Yarraman Park draft at the 2017 Premier Sale, he is out of the stakes-placed Mabsam (Stratum), which means he is related to Viking Hero and Invincible Star as well as Innocent King and Royal Snack.
Ulusaba as a yearling
