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 couple of runners with Melbourne Cup credentials in their pedigree running at Geelong, while a filly making her debut for Aiden St Vincent is looking to make an early impression at Coffs Harbour.
Geelong Race 2, 2:00pm AEDT, No Fuss Event Hire 3YO Mdn, $35,000, 1421m
Fiorentino (Fiorente) had the honour of being the first of his sire's yearlings ever sold in Australia having been picked up, appropriately, by the Melbourne Cup winner's trainer Gai Waterhouse early in the 2017 Magic Millions sale. His dam, Fulminate (Encosta de Lago) is a city-winning half-sister to multiple Listed winner Illuminates as well as the dams of stakes-winners Hursley and Ichiban (NZ).
Fiorentino pictured as a yearling
The third dam is the G1 Queensland Oaks winner Travel Light (NZ) (Bellissimo {Fr}), who produced a Group winning stayer in Stoway (Geiger Counter {USA}), so it’s a pedigree with plenty of stamina.
The colt made one appearance last campaign, running seventh at Kembla Grange on debut and will no doubt be improved by the time he has been given to develop by Waterhouse and her training partner Adrian Bott.
Geelong Race 6, DMB Contracting Bm64 Hcp, $35,000, 1726m
Talking about Melbourne Cup winning pedigrees, The Hun (High Chaparral {Ire}) is from the family of 2017 Cup winner Almandin (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), who was retired over the weekend. His dam, Attilia (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire}) bought out of Europe by Rosemont Stud, is a three-quarter sister to Almandin's dam in Anatola (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire}). It's a pedigree page stacked with European black type, including this colt's half-sister Ambria (Ger) (Monsun (Ger), who is a Listed winner in Germany.
It's not surprising given that pedigree that The Hun has been given plenty of time by Tony McEvoy. Now a 4-year-old, his lone victory came in a 2400m maiden at this track last April. He resumed with a close-up fourth at Sandown recently and looks to have taken a significant step forward.
The Hun pictured as a yearling
Coffs Harbour Race 1, 1:15pm AEDT, Adrenaline Thoroughbreds Mdn, $22,000, 800m
There a bit of a connection with the name of this race as it was Adrenalin Thoroughbreds who parted with $90,000 for Mem's Magic (Foxwedge) at the 2017 Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She is from Authoress (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}), who was stakes-placed herself and has produced the stakes-placed Storytime (Savabeel). Authoress is a half-sister to the stakes-winning trio Dirty (Hussonet (USA), Whitlam (Elusive Quality {USA}) and Etymology (New Approach {Ire}).
Mem's Magic stepped out at a recent Coffs Harbour barrier trial and impressed, jumping straight to the front before being just beaten on the line under jockey Jasen Watkins, who takes the ride again here on her debut.
Mem's Magic pictured as a yearling
