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, Peter and Paul Snowden debut a colt from the family of Typhoon Tracy at Hawkesbury, while at Bendigo, Shoals' little sister makes her second appearance, while Tony McEvoy steps out a horse he hopes can make a Cups contender one day.
Hawkesbury Race 3, 2:05 pm AEST, Lander Toyota 2YO Mdn, $35,000, 1100m
Daredevil (I Am Invincible) makes his debut in James Harron's colours for Team Snowden at Hawkesbury having shown significant improvement in his two trials to date. A $290,000 buy from the 2018 Gold Coast Magic Millions, he hails from a brilliant racing family.
His dam, Tracy's Image (Encosta De Lago) is a half-sister to Australian Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}), as well as stakes-winner Red Element (Red Ransom {USA}). He is the first foal from the mare, whose yearling filly sold for $320,000 at this year's Magic Millions.
Daredevil as a yearling.
Bendigo Race 3, 2:30pm AEST, No Fuss Event Hire Mdn, $35,000, 1300m
As a full-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Shoals, as well as the sales topping colt from last year's Easter Sale, now named Groundswell, Tides (Fastnet Rock) creates an enormous amount of interest in this race. It's a regally-bred family, with the dam, The Broken Shore (Hussonet {USA}) a half-sister to the great Redoute's Choice as well as two other Group 1 winners in Platinum Scissors and Manhattan Rain.
Arrowfield retained ownership in this filly with Pinecliff and she debuted with a creditable sixth, beaten four lengths in a Geelong maiden last September. The expectation is that she has taken substantial improvement in the six months since that run and she was given a fairly easy time of it when second in a recent Mornington jumpout.
Tides a a full sister to multiple G1 winner Shoals.
Bendigo Race 4, 3pm AEST, The Big Screen Company Mdn, $35,000, 2200m
The fact that Tony McEvoy is debuting Vigor Tower (Americain {USA}) over 2200m tells you a bit about his staying credentials. This gelding is bred to relish a staying trip, being by a Melbourne Cup winner out of a mare, Reveal The Goddess (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), who herself is out of Sydney Cup winner Honor Babe (NZ) (Honor Grades {USA}). The dam's family is full of stayers, including the prolific winner Kiwi Golfer (NZ) (Cocky Golfer {USA}).
Vigor Tower was the top priced yearling in Book 2 of the 2017 Melbourne Premier Sale, bought by Singapore's Thomas Loke, who then offered him to McEvoy to train. McEvoy said at the time that the yearling reminded him a lot of Zabeel. “You won’t see him run at two. I’ll take him home, give him time and develop him into a Melbourne Cup winner," he said.
Vigor Tower pictured as a yearling
