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.
Saturday at Newcastle we turn our attention to a colt by Merchant Navy from the same family as Cosmic Force, before focussing on a colt out of the Listed-winning Shamardal (USA) mare Bulbula. We round off the day with a filly by Sebring from the family of The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes.
Newcastle, Race 3, 12.35pm AEST, Newcastle Skin Check CG&E Mdn H., $35,000, 1200m
Dirty Merchant, 2-year-old colt (Merchant Navy x Onemorezeta {Onemorenomore})
Trainer Annabel Neasham will unleash Dirty Merchant, a son of Coolmore Stud-based first-season sire Merchant Navy, in the Newcastle Skin Check CG&E Maiden H. at Newcastle on Saturday and the colt will jump from barrier six with Shaun Guymer set to take the ride.
Purchased by his trainer and Brian McGuire for $150,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, the colt will be aiming to become the second winner out of Group 3-winning Onemorezeta (Onemorenomore) with the mare having already produced Zetarita (Capitalist).
Dirty Merchant as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Onemorezeta herself is out of winning Commands mare Little Zeta, making her a half-sister to G2 Roman Consul S. winner Cosmic Force (Deep Field). Further back this is the same family of Listed scorer More Than Great (More Than Ready {USA}).
The colt will be aiming to become Merchant Navy’s fifth first-crop winner.
Flemington, Race 1, 11.55am (AEST), Next Generation Sprinters Series Heat 1, $130,000, 1100m
Doull, 2-year-old colt (Snitzel x Bulbula (Shamardal {USA})
Anthony and Sam Freedman enjoyed Group 1 juvenile success earlier in the season when Daumier (Epaulette) landed the G1 Blue Diamond S. and they will be hoping to unearth another star for the stable when the well-related Doull makes his debut at Flemington on Saturday.
The colt was purchased by the Victorian Alliance for a whopping $1.2 million at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and he will start in barrier three with Jye McNeil booked to take the ride.
Doull as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Doull is out of Listed-winning Shamardal (USA) mare Bulbula - the dam of G3 scorer Aryaaf (Epaulette). Previously raced and owned by Shadwell Stud, Bulbula herself was purchased by Rosemont Stud - who head up the Victorian Alliance - at last year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare for $1.350 million.
Bulbula herself is a daughter of Listed-winning General Nediym mare Taameer (NZ), making her a half-sister to Group 3 winner Khulaasa (Epaulette).
Scone, Race 4, 12.40pm AEST, Listed Vinery Woodlands S., $140,000, 1100m
Lady Harlem, 2-year-old filly (Sebring x Harlem River {Fastnet Rock})
Last seen finishing second in the R. Listed Inglis Banner S. in October, the John O’Shea-trained Lady Harlem will attempt to get off the mark in the Listed Woodlands S. at Scone and she will break from barrier 7 with Kerrin McEvoy booked to take the ride.
Bred by S F Bloodstock, Blake Sandblom and Winstar Farm, the filly was purchased by Richard Pegum for $125,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling in 2021 and she is out of Listed-winning Fastnet Rock mare Harlem River, who was herself placed second in the Woodland S.
Lady Harlem as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Harlem River is out of a half-sister to G3 scorer Hot As Hell (County) and Listed-winning duo Flaming Hot (County) and Craig’s Dragon (Catbird).
Further back this is the same family as 2019 The Everest winner and now Coolmore Stud-based sire Yes Yes Yes and Group 1 scorer In Her Time (Time Thief).
Looking Back
Out first two selections, Ardrett (Epaulette) and Seahaven (Mikki Isle), both finished fifth in their respective contests at Geelong and Scone, while our final selection, Invest In Love (Capitalist), ran an eye-catching race to finish a solid third in the Inglis 2YO Challenge at Scone.
