Frankel foal to break New Horizons in Australian racing
IT is the beginning of a new era in Australian thoroughbred racing as New Horizons – son of legendary English galloper Frankel – is set to make its debut in Victoria on Wednesday.
The Japanese-bred colt will be the first ever Frankel foal to race in Victoria and just the second of its progeny to race in Australia after Chris Waller-trained juvenile Merovee debuted back in March.
New Horizons’ maiden race is in the Chef’s Hat Maiden Plate at Sandown Park on Wednesday, where the three-year-old is a $3.70 chance at Crownbet.com.au.
Darren Weir will be hoping for a better start to the colt’s racing career after Merovee wilted badly in its first-ever race, finishing sixth.
Talk about a horse to watch @LadbrokesPark tomorrow. R2 Weir trains New Horizons by Frankel o/o 2011 G1 E.P. Taylor winner Miss Keller.
— Candice Hare (@chare889) June 5, 2017
New Horizons (Frankel x Gr1w Miss Keller) bred in Japan is now with Darren Weir in Australia. He’s entered to debut this coming Wednesday
— Jess Samy (@Frankel1313) June 1, 2017
The decision was made to race the colt on Wednesday after it pleased connections in a Burrumbeet jumpout on May 11.
Watch New Horzions’ (white) jumpout
The Waratah Thoroughbreds-owned colt will step out over 1200m, with Brad Rawiller in the saddle.
Waratah Thoroughbreds Racing Manager Luke Geddes said that the colt’s dam, Canadian star Miss Keller, was served by Frankel in the UK and foaled down in Japan, before arriving in Australia as a yearling.
“We put Miss Keller in foal over in England but we wanted to breed her to Deep Impact so she went over to Japan in foal to him (New Horizons),” Geddes said.
“He was born in Japan and we shipped him back here as a yearling and broke him in here.”
Geddes still believes that expectations need to be adjusted heading into the gun prospect’s first ever race.
“He’s been working OK and Weiry is pretty happy with him at this stage so I think he’ll be running very well on Wednesday but he’s still got a fair bit to learn.”
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