Looking Ahead - November 18

3 min read

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 a pair of well-related 3-year-olds stepping out at the Newcastle meeting and a New Zealand-bred filly with strong claims and a tidy pedigree to back her claims at Waverley.

Newcastle Hungerford Hill Maiden $35,000 900m 1.45pm

Can I Rock (Your Song) boasts an international pedigree with her dam Ranchy (USA) (Siphon {USA}) out of a half-sister to the breed-shaper Storm Cat (USA) (Storm Bird {USA}). It is an outstanding family that also features the Group 1 winners Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Crowded House (GB) (Rainbow Quest {GB}).

Purchased by trainer Mick Dwyer at the Inglis Scone Yearling Sale for only $8,500, Can I Rock was sixth on debut behind the subsequently unbeaten Kedah (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) and was then fifth at Port Macquarie before an improved last-start third at Newcastle. The 3-year-old has drawn in close and should give a great sight.

Widden stallion, Your Song

Newcastle The Junction Hotel Plate $35,000 1880m 2.20pm

Scarlet Dream (Sebring) was runner-up first time out and then moved up to a mile at Kembla Grange to comfortably go one better under apprentice Robbie Dolan, who retains the ride. The Mark Newnham-trained filly looks well placed here to continue the promising start she has made to her career.

She is a $95,000 Inglis Sydney Easter Yearling Sale graduate and is a daughter of the G1 Greyville Golden Slipper and G2 South African Fillies’ Nursery winner Asylum Seeker (SAF) (Count Dubois {GB}). Hailing from the family of the former South African Horse of the Year Horse Chestnut (SAF) (Fort Wood {SAF}), Scarlet Dream is a half-sister to a pair of Group 3 winners.

Scarlet Dream as a yearling

Waverley PGG Wrightson/Andrews Maiden $10,000 1650m 2.27pm (NZ time)

Verbier (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) gave an excellent account of herself on debut when she produced a solid finish from the back for sixth on the tight, turning Te Awamutu track. The step up in distance from 1400 metres will suit the filly, who will be ridden by the in-form Rosie Myers for trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie.

Bred by part-owner Sir Peter Vela, Verbier is out of the unraced Van Nistelrooy (USA) mare Veyrier (NZ), who is out of a sister to the G3 Gallinule S. winner Puerto Rico (IRE) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) and a blood sister to the G1 Ascot Fillies’ S. winner Fairy Bridge (IRE) (Fairy King {USA}). Veyrier is also a half-sister to the dam of the multiple Group 1 winner Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}).

Cambridge stallion Burgundy