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 head to Ballarat where a filly out of a G1 placed mare resumes for Lloyd Kennewell and a Star Witness filly debuts for Robbie Griffiths before going to Hawkesbury for the much-anticipated debut of Deploy's half brother.
Ballarat Race 1, Cervus Equipment Maiden Plate, $26,000, 1000m, 1pm AEDT
We highlighted Germanotta (I Am Invincible) in this column last week, but she was scratched from Pakenham and resumes in a Ballarat maiden having debuted in a Listed 2-year-old race in Adelaide back in May. After having a trial at Cranbourne back in early September, she has had a couple of jumpouts at Caulfield, the latest of which saw her miss the start slightly before circling the field and winning with plenty in hand.
She is out of the very good sprinting mare Vormista, who was a Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed. This filly was a $440,000 buy at the 2017 Magic Millions and her older half-sister Reemah (Redoute's Choice) was precocious enough to finish second in a G1 Blue Diamond S.
Germanotta as a yearling
Ballarat Race 2, Pipe Pro Directional Drilling F&M Maiden, $26,000, 1200m, 1:30pm AEDT
Tulpar (Star Witness) makes her debut for Robbie Griffiths having only had the one trial, back in February. She draws well to utilise some early pace here and it would not surprise to see her show up on debut.
Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock paid $45,000 for her at the 2017 Classic Sale and she comes from a reasonably talented family. Her dam Sundays Girl is a half-sister to NZ Group 1 winner Rockabubble, who is the dam of multiple Group winner Rock Magic. The speedy Unpretentious is also out of another half-sister of Sundays Girl, while Caulfield Guineas winner Chortle also features on the pedigree page.
Tulpar as a yearling
Hawkesbury Race 3, Coca Cola Amatil Maiden, $35,000, 1300m, 2:35pm AEDT
Torryburn Stud and Gerald Ryan have had to show some patience with the well-bred Wokurna (Snitzel), who makes his debut at age four. Bred to be an early-running 2-year-old, he reached the trials when he was three but it was only after a recent trial win at Rosehill that he was finally set for his debut.
He is out of Crimson Reign, a former smart 2-year-old, who has already produced the very speedy Deploy (Fastnet Rock), a winner of eight of his 18 starts, including three Group races. It’s worth noting that Deploy showed massive improvement after turning four, winning seven of his next nine starts before finishing down the track in the 2017 The Everest.
Wokurna as a yearling
