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 two well-bred debut runners at the Warwick Farm meeting and a colt with plenty going for him at Ladbrokes Park.
Warwick Farm Autumn Carnival On Sale H $50,000 1400 metres 1.35pm
An international pedigree will be brought to the table here by the first-starter No Complaints (Dundeel). He is a half-brother to the G3 Zeditave S. winner Overshare (I Am Invincible) with their mother Savannah’s Choice (Redoute’s Choice) a three-time winner and Group placed. Her dam Kirov Premiere (GB) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) won the G3 Rutgers H. and produced the G1 American Oaks winner Cesario (JPN) (Special Week {JPN}), in turn the mother of the G1 Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia (JPN) (Symboli Kris S {JPN}). It is also the family of the G1 Prix de Royallieu Anna Pavlova (GB) (Danehill Dancer {IRE}) and the G1 Champion S. winner Fascinating Rock (IRE) (Fastnet Rock).
Trained by John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes, No Complaints has been taken along with patient hands and trialled twice before a spell. He has had a further three trials this preparation and with Brenton Avdulla in the saddle gets a good opportunity in this to run up to his pedigree.
Dundeel
Warwick Farm Events By ATC H $50,000 1400 metres 2.15pm
A $160,000 Inglis Sydney Easter Yearling Sale buy for Luskin Park Stud, Smart Decision (Smart Missile) is the first foal of the winner and black type performer Swing Vote (Northern Meteor). She is a half-sister to the former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Rapper Dragon (Street Boss {USA}) who ran second in the G1 Champagne S. as Street Rapper before relocating and success in the G2 Chairman’s Trophy. The pedigree page also features the G1 Queen of the South S. winner Amanpour (Smart Missile).
Smart Decision showed she had inherited a degree of the family ability with a trial win at Randwick last month with trainer John O’Shea booking Rachael King for the ride.
Smart Decision as a yearling
Ladbrokes Park Blue Star Print Plate $50,000 1200 metres 4.30pm
Lindsay Park and Spicer Bloodstock went to $250,000 to secure Ronan’s Rock (Fastnet Rock) at the Inglis Sydney Easter Yearling Sale with the colt a brother to the winner Condor. Their dam Ronan’s Bay (USA) (Johannesburg {USA}) was stakes placed in Ireland and she is a half-sister to Mousse Au Chocolat (USA) (Hennessy {USA}), a Listed winner in France, and to the dam of the G2 Nassau S. winner Bay To Bay (USA) (Sligo Bay {IRE}).
Ronan’s Rock finished runner-up for David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig on debut at Caulfield behind the subsequently unbeaten Brutal (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}). He was then unplaced on soft going at Sandown and a return to a better track could well see him bounce right back under jockey Craig Williams.
Ronan's Rock as a yearling
