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.
Two well-bred fillies by Zousain and Maurice (Jpn) are chasing success at Scone on Friday.
Scone, Race 2, 12.50pm AEST, Magic Millions Maiden Handicap, $27,000, 1200m
Josain, 2-year-old filly (Zousain x Jolie Brise {Fastnet Rock})
The Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained 2-year-old filly Josain (Zousain) makes her debut at Scone on Friday afternoon. The well-bred type has had a couple of trials at Scone and ran second at her last one over 1000 metres on July 1.
Josain is the eighth live-foal out of the four-time winning Fastnet Rock mare Jolie Brise, who also ran fourth in the G1 Thousand Guineas.
Josain as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
She has excelled as a broodmare, leaving seven winners with the best of them being the Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed colt Napoleonic (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and the Group 3-winning 2-year-old Ready Set Sail (More Than Ready {USA}).
Jolie Brise, in recent times, has left a weanling filly by Zousain, and was served by Farnan last October.
Josain was originally purchased for $160,000 by Cannon Hayes Limited from the Fairhill Farm draft at the 2024 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale. She was then re-offered by Cannon Hayes Stud at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where Archibald and Neasham Racing and William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) purchased the filly for $200,000.
Scone, Race 8, 4.35pm AEST, Upper Hunter Country Tourism Class 1 Handicap, $27,000, 1300m
Avista, 3-year-old filly (Maurice (Jpn) x Phyllis Maud (Ire) {Halling {USA}})
The Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich-trained Avista (Maurice {Jpn}) makes her third start on her home track at Scone on Friday over 1300 metres.
The filly owned by Arrowfield Stud and Belford Productions had two starts last preparation for a placing on debut at Scone and a win over 1280 metres in maiden company at Muswellbrook. She has since had a break and a couple of trials to prepare herself for her resuming run.
Avista is the fourth foal out of Phyllis Maud (Ire) (Halling {USA}), she was a four-time winning mare in Great Britain, and is a half-sister to the outstanding Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}).
Avista as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
He was a four-time Group 1 winner in Australia, and picked up 13 wins across Great Britain and Australia. She is also a half-sister to the Listed winner Roz (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), and the Listed-placed duo of Dominetta (Zoustar), and Ursula (USA) (Tapit {USA}).
In recent years, Phyllis Maud has left a 2-year-old gelding by The Autumn Sun named Solar Enterprise, and has not produced a live-foal since.
Avista was passed in short of her $250,000 reserve at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Looking Back:
Cybersecurity (Home Affairs) - Disappointed running ninth at Sale after setting the pace.
Winsilence (NZ) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) - Ran a solid third resuming at Sale, he looks like he will improve with more ground and is one to follow.
