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 head to Otaki to check out a promising filly resuming and a consistent performer back on the ground, while at Cranbourne a half-brother to Sizzling looks to make amends for his wayward debut.
Otaki Race 3, NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race, $22,500, 1600m, 2.30pm NZDT, 12.30pm AEDT
Cead Mile Failte (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) makes her first appearance for the season and on the evidence of what she showed during her first preparation she will be a mare to follow. Two placings preceded her defeat of older horses over a trip at Awapuni before a break.
Trained by Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard, the 4-year-old is a daughter of Shamrox (NZ) (Pyrus {USA}) and she was a handy mare who won on four occasions and earned black type. She is a grand-daughter of the Group 3 winner Syrian Sea (NZ) (Vice Regal) and the family of the top-flight winners Sweet Idea (Snitzel), Electronic (NZ) (First Norman {USA}) and Booming (NZ) (Don Eduardo {NZ}).
Cranbourne Race 1, TAB Multiplier #YO Maiden Plate, $26,000, 1300m, 12:40pm AEDT
Still Invincible (I Am Invincible), the half brother to Sizzling, has his second start here in a lower-class race than he contested first-up when well-supported but well beaten at Moonee Valley last time, where he did a lot wrong. Clearly has talent on his big trial before his debut and the application of a tongue tie should help correct his manners from last time.
He cost $900,000 as a yearling at the 2017 Magic Millions. As well as being a sibling to a Group 1 winner, he's out of a stakes-placed mare Admirelle, who herself is out of a Listed winner (Laudemio). Remarkably, he is only the third most expensive colt out of Admirelle. His older sibling by Snitzel went for $2.2 million in 2015, while a syndicate of high-profile owners paid $1.6m for a Snitzel colt this year.
Still Invincible
Otaki Race 8, Sunrans Spa H $25,000 1400m 5.30pm NZDT, 3:30pm AEDT
Part-owner and trainer Mike Breslin has been patient with Ozil (Denman), who has won two of his seven starts and finished fourth in last season’s Listed Wanganui Guineas. He was unplaced in his first 4-year-old appearance, but that was on a rain-affected track and he is more effective on top of the ground.
Ozil was a $38,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase and is out of Queen Of Quilts (Viscount) whose half-brother Pinwheel (Lonhro) won two editions of the G2 Warwick S. Black type winner Meidung (Bernardini {USA) also features in the pedigree and she is the dam of the G2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic winner Banish (Lonhro).
Ozil as a yearling
