Looking Ahead highlights runners of interest across Australia and New Zealand. Whether they are an exceptionally well-bred or high-priced runner early in their career chasing maiden success, a promising galloper returning to the track or a horse that has trialled particularly well, we’ll aim to give you something to follow.
It's all about the 2-year-olds on Saturday as runners by Stay Inside, Lucky Vega (Ire) and Home Affairs chase success across Australasia.
Royal Randwick, Race 1, 11am AEST, Kia Ora Bloodlines to Headlines 2YO Handicap, $160,000, 1100m
Lord Horatio, 2-year-old colt (Stay Inside x Murchison {More Than Ready {USA}})
The Tom Charlton-trained Lord Horatio (Stay Inside) looks to go two-from-two at Randwick on Saturday over 1100 metres. He was a very good maiden winner at Warwick Farm early last month, and has been kept up to the mark with a trial win on the Warwick Farm Polytrack recently.
Lord Horatio is one of seven winners for his first season sire Stay Inside, who has already sired Group winners Blue Door and Incognito as well as the Listed winner Lassified in his first crop.
Lord Horatio as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Lord Horatio is the first foal out of Murchison (More Than Ready {USA}) who is a half-sister to G1 Coolmore Classic victrix Steps In Time (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), meaning that his second dam is G2 Stan Fox Stakes winner Rare Insight (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).
This is the family of Group 1 winners Espiona (Extreme Choice), Vision And Power (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}) and Glamour Puss (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}).
Since producing Lord Horatio, Murchison has left a Snitzel yearling filly and a Snitzel weanling colt, before she was served by Extreme Choice last December.
Lord Horatio was purchased for $300,000 by O’Shea-Charlton Racing, James Bester Bloodstock and Eric Lucas from the Highgrove Stud draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Flemington, Race 1, 11.55am AEST, TAB We’re On 2YO Handicap, $150,000, 1100m
Vega Vixen, 2-year-old filly (Lucky Vega {Ire} x Cathay {Deep Field})
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Vega Vixen (Lucky Vega {Ire}) looks a great chance at Flemington on Saturday over 1100 metres. She comes into this race off a very strong maiden win on the Caulfield Heath late last month.
Vega Vixen is the second foal out of the three-time winner Cathay (Deep Field) and she was bred and is raced by Yulong Investments. Cathay's first foal Cathay Express (Alabama Express) has been metropolitan placed in South Australia.
Lucky Vega (Ire) | Standing at Segenhoe Stud
Cathay is a three-quarter-sister to the five-time Hong Kong-winning gelding My Sugar (Deep Field) and is out of the Listed winner Cathay Lady (Exceed And Excel). This is also the extended family of the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner and new Vinery Stud stallion Tropicus.
In recent times, Cathay has left a weanling filly by Grunt (NZ), and was served by Benbatl (GB) last spring.
Ellerslie, Race 2, 10.33am AEST (12.33pm local), The Lawn Shed 2YO, NZ$40,000, 1200m
Fatal Affair, 2-year-old filly (Home Affairs x Clear For Take Off (GB) {Soldier Hollow {GB}})
The Stephen Marsh-trained Home Affairs 2-year-old Fatal Affair looks a good chance at her second start at Ellerslie on Saturday. On debut she raced very greenly on the same track after winning both of her trials impressively at Ellerslie and Avondale. With that experience now under her belt, it would be no surprise to see her turn that form around.
Home Affairs | Standing at Coolmore Stud
Fatal Affair is out of Clear For Take Off (GB) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), who was a three-time winner and Group 3-placed in Germany. She is very well-bred being a half-sister to Calyxa (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who was a Champion older mare in Italy and a multiple stakes winner.
Clear For Take Off, since producing Fatal Affair, has left a Zoustar yearling colt, a Cylinder weanling filly and was served by Schwarz last spring.
Fatal Affair was originally purchased for $70,000 by Riversley Park from the 2024 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale. He was then re-offered by Riversley Park at the 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale where Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock purchased the filly for NZ$180,000.
Looking Back:
Mountjoy (Street Boss {USA}) - Won the Elvstroem Classic nicely at Swan Hill.
Sable Coat (Stay Inside) - Was scratched from her race, she will keep for another day.
