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.
Promising types by Wild Ruler, Home Affairs and Bivouac chase success across Australia on Saturday.
Caulfield, Race 1, 11.50am AEST, Sportsbet Race Previews 2YO Handicap, $150,000, 1000m
Face The Wild, 2-year-old filly (Wild Ruler x Face Forward {Charge Forward})
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Face The Wild (Wild Ruler) chases maiden success at start number three at Caulfield on Saturday. The Wild Ruler filly had a couple of starts in Queensland earlier in the season around Magic Millions time, which included a second at Toowoomba behind Cause She Can (Worthy Cause).
She has since had a break, and has looked good winning two jump-outs in preparation for her resuming run
Face The Wild as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Face The Wild is out of the four-time winning Charge Forward mare Face Forward, she is a half sister to the seven-time winner and multiple Group and Listed placed Privlaka (Mossman). Face Forward has so far produced the three-time winners Listen Listen (Pride Of Dubai) and E Brother (Star Witness).
Face The Wild was originally purchased by Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) for $55,000 from the 2024 Inglis Sydney Yearling Sale, before being purchased by First Light Racing and Mitchell Racing, Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) from the Telemon Thoroughbreds draft for $150,000 at the 2025 Magic Million Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Eagle Farm, Race 3, 12.53pm AEST, Listed Tattersall’s 2YO Stakes, $160,000, 1400m
Marffiano, 2-year-old colt (Home Affairs x Miss Iano {Equiano {Fr}})
The promising Marffiano (Home Affairs) chases win number two at only start number four at Eagle Farm on Saturday for the Hayes team. He was an impressive winner at Bendigo on debut in early May, and then he has since ran a fast finishing fifth in the Magic Millions 2YO National Classic worth $1 million behind the exciting The Next Episode (Snitzel) in late May and a solid second behind Cool Gent (Winning Rupert) at Listed level a couple of weeks ago.
Marffiano is the second foal for eight-time winner and Group 3-performed Miss Iano (Equiano {Fr}), who is out of a half-sister to Listed Belle Of The Turf Stakes winner Hidden Wonder (Danzero), from the close family of G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Kenwood Melody (Royal Academy {USA}).
Marffiano as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Her only other foal to race is the Group 2 and two-time Group 3 winner Tycoon Star (Written Tycoon), who also placed in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes as a 2-year-old.
In recent years, Miss Iano has produced a yearling colt by Written Tycoon, and was served by the Yulong resident to Northern Hemisphere time earlier this year. Ciaron Maher paid $1.3 million for the former at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Marrfiano was originally purchased by James Bester Bloodstock for $280,000 from the Pepper Tree Farm draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale. He was the re-offered by Lime Country Thoroughbreds at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where Laurel Oak Bloodstock (FBAA) and Lindsay Park Racing paid $475,000 for the colt.
Newcastle, Race 2, 11.20am AEST, Independent Mobility & Rehab Provincial 3YO&UP Maiden Handicap, $45,000, 1200m
Southport, 3-year-old colt (Bivouac x Marielle {Lonhro})
The Brad Widdup-trained Southport (Bivouac) lines up for his third start at Newcastle on Saturday over 1200 metres. He ran a solid fifth on debut at Gosford last December behind Capture Me (Zoustar), since then he has had a break and resumed with an improvers run for fourth at Wyong earlier this month behind Declan (Brave Smash {Jpn}).
Southport as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Southport is the fourth live-foal out of the winning Lonhro mare Marielle (Lonhro), she is very well-related being a half-sister to the Champion sire I Am Invincible, who needs no introduction with the impact he has had on Australasian breeding.
Marielle in recent times, has left a Zousain 2-year-old filly, a Zousain weanling colt and was served by Cosmic Force last spring.
Southport was passed in short of his $120,000 reserve at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Looking Back:
Opine (So You Think {NZ}) - Ran a battling fourth on the Canberra Acton.
Expensive Taste (North Pacific) - Ran an honest second on the Ballarat Synthetic.
