2021 has been a year filled with incredible racing action. We’ve seen some truly impressive horses make their debuts, while others have almost immediately fallen by the wayside.
With many having run their initial races in the last few months, there are a few we’ve particularly enjoyed watching and some we feel have a lot more to come.
With this in mind, here’s our pick of the top up-and-coming Australian stars of 2021.
Isotope
Queensland-based filly Isotope started the year on a high, having won four of her eight starts. Although she fell in her final run of the previous season, trainer Tony Gollan made it clear she'd recovered well and was ready to return to the racing world as a filly.
Isotope was given odds of 11/10 in the horse racing betting markets to win the Guineas back in January. It was reported that Gollan described her as “a genuine group horse” who was willing to “give 110 percent.”
Unfortunately, the filly ended up dislodging jockey Ryan Maloney, despite running well as they entered the home straight and looking likely to take the victory.
Regardless, Isotope has continued to perform well, now having five wins from ten starts. Following her last race in April, when she came second in the Arrowfield Sprint, she has earnings of almost £235,000 to date and has been an absolute joy to watch so far.
Young Werther
Another horse that’s impressed on the track in 2021 is the gelding, Young Werther. This rising star may not be the quickest on the turf, but he does have impressive staying power. A likely candidate for victory in Group 1 races that require stamina above speed, he only lightly campaigned and it was clear he had a lot more in the bag.
Although Young Werther hasn’t had any wins to date, he's placed in five out of his seven starts, accumulating earnings of over £360,000. What this proves is that he’s consistent: while he may not set the racing world alight, he has put in some commendable performances.
Given a little more time, he may still display some as-yet-untapped potential. It’s true what they say: sometimes slow and steady really does win the race.
Remarque
Next up, we have the promising colt, Remarque. Sired by Snitzel, he's proved impressive right from the off with a win and a third to date, as well as placing in two out of his three outings, earning his connections a grand total of just over £44,000.
While this is clearly a horse with plenty of potential, he’s definitely yet to hone his craft as he's currently prone to over-racing and exhausting himself. However, with the right jockey and a little more experience under his belt, we believe he may just have what it takes to set the racing world on fire in the seasons to come.
Aegon
The last horse we need to add to this list is Aegon. While he hails from New Zealand, he’s also raced in Australia and has won two out of his four starts to date. As of August 2021, he has earnings in excess of £271,000.
Trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Aegon is a middle-distance specialist. His style and strengths are similar to those of his sire, the now-deceased Sacred Falls, who was a dual winner of the Doncaster Handicap. With big scoping action and form in difficult conditions, he'll be one to watch as he continues to mature.
Big things are expected from these four contenders over the months and years ahead. All we can do is wait and watch in the hopes that they live up to expectations.
