Looking Ahead - December 11

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.

On Tuesday, we check out a Darren Weir debutant who had a strong recent jumpout, head to Wagga where Barbara Joseph and the Jones boys have a 3-year-old resuming from a good barrier, while at Kilcoy, Ben Currie looks to recover the purchase price of one of his horses having their second start.

Ararat Race 1, Ararat RSL 3YO Mdn, $23,000, 1100m, 2pm AEDT

Freestyler (Unencumbered) makes his debut for Darren Weir and looks to have some speed based on his recent Ballarat jumpout. On that occasion, he and a stablemate powered six lengths clear of their opposition and given a real ride out, he finished second.

A $80,000 buy from the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, he is out of Curzon Dancer (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), making him a half-brother to The Big Dance, who won a rich race at Bendigo on debut. The grand-dam Curzon Place is an unraced half-sister to the likes of Blackfriars, Larrocha, Manton, Lions Gate and Waterford Road.

Freestyler as a yearling

Wagga Race 3, JGW Harvest Mdn, $22,000, 1400m, 2:35pm AEDT

Samara's Choice (The Factor {USA}) makes his first appearance as a 3-year-old having had a couple of starts as a 2-year-old, the latest of which was an eighth at Warwick Farm back in May. He has drawn an inside barrier here which should prove an advantage, but he has not had a trial headed into this race.

He was a $50,000 yearling from the 2017 Classic Sale and is out of Our Miss Donovan (Hussonet {USA}), a half-sister to stakes-winning stayer Older Than Time. There is a bit of precocity in the pedigree as well through the likes of Langoustine (Danehill {USA}), One World (Danehill {USA}) and One Last Dance (Encosta De Lago).

Samara's Choice as a yearling

Dalby Race 1, Bob Laffy Electronics 3yo Mdn, $16,500, 1000m, 3:25pm AEDT

Jetseventeen (Tycoon Ruler) resumes here having performed with merit at his only previous start when third at Toowoomba back in July. On that occasion, he scouted very wide on debut, before charging home and missing by just a length. He has had a trial leading into this, winning comfortably.

An $8000 yearling buy for trainer Ben Currie, you’d be pretty confident he'll recover that fee here. He doesn’t have a pedigree with much black type, but the G1 winning NZ mare Coconut Ice (Icelandic) is his fourth dam.

Tycoon Ruler