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 Friday, at Moonee Valley we check out a million dollar yearling stepping up in class as well as another Frankel looking to add to the sire's recent success, while at Dubbo, we feature a Dundeel filly looking to break her maiden.
Moonee Valley Race 1, WM Waste Management Plate, $120,000, 1200m, 6.30pm AEST
Octane (I Am Invincible) is a promising 3-year-old who looks capable of making his mark in good company. Trained by Ciaron Maher and Peter Eustace, he was runner-up on debut before going one better in style at Wangaratta.
A $1.4 million Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale buy, he has a pedigree to back his claims and is a half-brother to the G1 Newmarket H., winner The Quarterback (Street Boss {USA}) and the dual Group 2 winner Philippi (Host {CHI}). They are out of the Encosta de Lago mare Soorena, a half-sister to the stakes winner Spinning Jenny (Hard Spun {USA}).
Octane as a yearling
Moonee Valley Race 5, G2 Carlton Draught Stutt S., $200,000, 1600m, 8.45pm AEST
Farooq (Frankel {GB}) has made a strong start to his career for the in-form Tony McEvoy stable and can bounce back from an unplaced run in the Listed Antler Plate at Flemington.
The blueblood is a son of the G1 Robert Sangster S., winner Rostova (Testa Rossa), who is closely-related to the G1 Railway H., winner Imananabaa (Anabaa {USA}). Bred and raced by Sheikh Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Farooq is also from the family of the G2 Maribyrnong Plate winner and Group 1 placegetter The Heavyweight (Zeditave).
Dubbo Race 4, 'The Beatlez Go Bush' Mdn, $22,000, 1300m, 2:40pm AEST
The well-bred Sweet Love (Dundeel {NZ}) makes her second appearance in a 1300m at Dubbo having performed with some credit when third on debut, when she was the only horse to finish off well along the inside. She's drawn a very wide alley in this race, but her pedigree suggests she will relish the step up to 1300m.
The first crop of Dundeels have been performing well early in their 3-year-old season and this guy is strong on the dam side as well being out of the Group winner Sharnee Rose (Nadeem), who Arrowfield paid $575,000 for as a broodmare.
