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.
Today, we focus on two well-related maiden contenders at Gosford, a regally-bred 4-year-old who looks poised to open his winning account at Wangaratta and a 3-year-old with a Group 1 pedigree at Waverley in New Zealand.
Gosford Aussie Night Markets Maiden $35,000 1200m 1.05pm
Debut runner Snips (Snitzel) has impressed at the trials and won the last of his four outings at Rosehill last month under Corey Brown, who retains the ride here for trainer David Pfieffer.
The colt has plenty to live up to on pedigree as he is out of Phantom Queen (Charge Forward) and closely related to G1 Galaxy H., winner Sweet Idea (Snitzel) and her G2 Lawrence S., winning brother Showtime.
Gosford Legends of League Maiden $35,000 1100m 1.45pm
Campari (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) will be at tight odds here, but she can be taken in multis with confidence on the strength of her Kiwi form. The NZ$100,000 Karaka yearling was placed in good company in all four starts last season and finished in the Listed Soliloquy S.
The winner of her both of her trials since, she is a daughter of the Zabeel (NZ) mare Lillet (NZ), whose dam Pernod (NZ) (Centaine) is the winner of eight races, including the G1 Invitation S. It is also the family of the G1 South Australian Derby winner Karlovasi (Reaan).
Campari as a yearling
Wangaratta Ovens Melb Cup Day Maiden $23,000 1590m 1.30pm
A step up in trip looks sure to boost the chances of Castle Rock (Fastnet Rock) posting the first win of his career. Patiently-handled by the Hayes and Dabernig combination, the 4-year-old was out of the money in his only start last season and returned to finish runner-up at Pakenham last month.
Castle Rock is a half-brother to the former champion filly and two-time Group 1 winner Faint Perfume (Shamardal {USA}) with their dam Zona (Zabeel {NZ}), who is out of Danendri (Danehill {USA}), winner of the G1 Australian Oaks and the G1 Australia S.
Castle Rock as a yearling
Waverley Palamountain’s Maiden $10,000 1200m 2.27pm
Dratini (All Too Hard) looks to have inherited a decent measure of the family ability. The 3-year-old was placed in both of his starts last term, including a third against the older horses on debut, and had won two trials ahead of resuming.
He is a half-brother to the G3 Gloaming S., placegetter Coral Coast (So You Think {NZ}) and they are out of the dual Group 1 winner Dorabella (NZ) (Postponed {USA}). It is a strong black type family with Dorabella’s half-brother Crusoe (NZ) (Kaapstad {GB}) a stakes winner in New Zealand and Singapore while Insouciant (NZ) (Keeper) won the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas.
Dratini
