Looking Ahead - December 13

4 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 have sorted out three likely chances at the Warrnambool meeting and we also zero in on an in-form contender for the closing event at Ellerslie.

Warrnambool Matthews Petroleum H $25,000 1200 metres 4.30pm

A $54,000 Inglis Melbourne VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale purchase for Mick Price, Rerevaki (Magnus) has a strong black type pedigree to draw on. He is out of a half-sister to the North American stakes winner Commercial Choice (USA) (Knight’s Choice {USA}), who is the dam of the Listed winners Make Me A Miracle (Flying Spur) and La Lagune (Danehill {USA}). Also featured in this family is the New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Hasahalo (NZ) (Savabeel) and the G3 Ming Dynasty H. winner Addictive Nature (NZ) (Savabeel).

Rerevaki made an encouraging start to his career in the spring with the chestnut finishing sixth first time out before he shed his maiden tag at Ararat and then ran a solid fifth. The 3-year-old has drawn an ideal barrier and will be ridden by Jack Hill.

Magnus

Warrnambool Hyland Sportswear Maiden Plate $26,000 1700 metres 5.00pm

Home track hope Savvy Boy (Tickets) is out of a half-sister to the two-time G3 Coongy H. winner Baughurst (Tayasu Tsuyoshi {JPN}) and the G3 Adelaide Guineas winner Nancy Eleanor (Blevic), who is the dam of the G1 Golden Slipper winner Phelan Ready (More Than Ready {USA}). Savvy Boy’s grand-dam Mrs Parnell (At Talaq {USA}) won on 10 occasions and she’s a sibling to the stakes winners Evocative (Scenic {IRE}) and Royal Tess (King’s High).

The Simon Wylde-trained Savvy Boy has placed once, when runner-up on debut, from three appearances. His preparatory run this season was at Terang where he finished sixth over 1400 metres and on breeding the step up to 1700 metres should be to his liking.

Tickets

Warrnambool Bamstone Plate H $30,000 1300 metres 7.00pm

Wetakemanhattan (Manhattan Rain) was excellent during his initial summer campaign when he won twice, finished runner-up and ran a creditable eighth in the G3 Autumn Classic before he was given a spell. The 4-year-old was ridden in all four starts by Jordan Childs and he again takes the mount for trainer Matt Cumani.

The 4-year-old, an $87,500 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale buy, is a half-brother to four winners produced by the unraced Modave (NZ) (Montjeu {IRE}). She is out of the stakes winner Vedodara (NZ) (Kreisler {IRE}) and a sister to the G1 Avondale Cup winner Sharvasti (NZ) and a half-sister to the Group 3 winners Shastri (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) and Bhandara (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).

Wetakemanhattan as a yearling

Ellerslie Dunstan Feeds Qualifier $22,500 1400 metres 7.40pm (NZ time)

White Shield (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) won first time out in the autumn and was then spelled after he was found to be suffering from the thumps after an unplaced outing. He returned in the spring to place at the trials before he was narrowly beaten at Avondale. The 4-year-old can race close to the speed, which should be a major advantage with the rail well out.

Bred by Gerry Harvey and raced by his NZ Thoroughbred Holdings, White Shield is a half-brother to two winners with their dam a sister to the Listed Classic Mile winner Glacier Bay (Rubiton). The family also features the G1 Doomben 10,000 and G1 Winfield Classic winner Flitter (Bluebird {USA}).

Reliable Man