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 Thursday, a $1 million colt debuts for Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou at Wyong, while at Pakenham, a well-related son of Star Witness is a short price to break his maiden and a half-sister to Persan (Pierro) also has her second start.
Wyong, Race 3, 2.10pm AEST, Carlton Draught Mdn, $35,000, 1350m
The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Ovoid (Exceed And Excel) will attract plenty of attention on his debut, having impressed with a recent Rosehill trial win and carrying the expectation of being a $1 million yearling from the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was sold by Edinburgh Park to record their first-ever million-dollar yearling.
Ovoid as a yearling
It’s a family which has had plenty of success through this colt's half-brother Eleven Eleven (Fastnet Rock), who won a R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, while another of his half-brothers, War Memorial (Fastnet Rock), has been stakes-placed. Further back are a host of stakes winners in North and South America, as well as Mica's Pride (Bite The Bullet {USA}), the dam of Group 1 winners Criterion (NZ) and Comin Through (Fastnet Rock).
Pakenham, Race 1, 6pm AEST, Evergreen Turf Mdn, $35,000, 1200m
The Team Hawkes-trained Foturi (Star Witness) showed enough in his second on debut at Sandown last time out to suggest he should be breaking his maiden here. This is a significant drop in class and he looks a horse who should be able to go through his classes pretty quickly.
Foturi as a yearling
He was a $210,000 purchase from the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Widden Stud. He is a brother to South Africa Grade 2 winner Mella Maria. Their dam, Sayahailmary (Keep The Faith), has produced four other winners including the stakes-placed Buenos Aires (Sebring). Sayahailmary herself was Group 2-placed in her career.
Pakenham, Race 2, 6.30pm AEST, Watch Live on Sportsbet 3YO Fillies Mdn, $35,000, 1400m
Surecan (Not A Single Doubt), a half-sister to Persan, the G3 Bart Cummings winner who finished fifth in the G1 Melbourne Cup, has her second start here for the same stable as that progressive stayer for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. She finished third on debut at Ballarat last time out.
Surecan as a yearling
A $220,000 purchase for her trainers and First Light Racing/Paul Willetts at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Arrowfield Stud, she is out of Ofcourseican (Mossman), who won a G1 Coolmore Classic and two other stakes races. Ofcourseican is the half-sister to South African Group 1 winner and stallion Gimmethegreenlight from the extended family of stakes-winning fillies Gregers (Commands) and Girl Guide (Churchill Downs).
