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.
Saturday's metropolitan picks are spread between Rosehill Gardens, where a Tarzino (NZ) filly bids to make it three from three and a Palace Pier (GB) colt takes aim at a Group 3, and Eagle Farm, where a Lucky Vega (Ire) colt attempts to leap back into winning form.
Rosehill Gardens, Race 1, 11:45pm AEST, Midway Handicap, $120,000, 1800m
Proxima Dea, 3-year-old filly (Tarzino {NZ} x Invisible Coin {Redoute’s Choice})
David Payne will aim to kick Saturday off with a win to Rosehill with Proxima Dea (Tarinzo {NZ}), who has put two together on the trot and returns to Saturday grade after an easy kill at Gosford at the beginning of the month. She has had enough speed to keep her rivals at bay over 1400 metres and 1600 metres, and the manner of her last win suggests she will still have enough firepower for the rise in distance again.
Proxima Dea as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Proxima Dea is a full sister to G1 Queensland Oaks victress Gypsy Goddess (NZ) and to stakes-performed Bitcoin (NZ). She is one of six winners for her dam Invisible Coin (Redoute's Choice), an unraced full sister to G1 Flight Stakes winner Cheeky Choice. Cheeky Choice has been a good producer herself, but most notably she is the grandam of Listed Takeover Target Handicap winner Blondeau (I Am Invincible).
Invisible Coin's good record saw her visit Anamoe in 2024, producing a colt in 2025 who was withdrawn from two weanling sales this year and saved for the yearling sales in 2027. She visited Cylinder in October.
Originally purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, Proxima Dea was a $300,000 graduate of North Bloodstock's 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale draft.
Rosehill Gardens, Race 7, 3:15pm AEST, Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Up And Coming Stakes, $250,000, 1300m
Southend, 3-year-old colt (Palace Pier {GB} x So We Are {So You Think {NZ}})
G3 TL Baillieu winner Southend (Palace Pier {GB}) returns to his metropolitan track of choice in Saturday in the hopes of gaining more black-type in the G3 Up And Coming Stakes. He avoids a run-in with the likes of G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Guest House (Home Affairs), exciting colts Warwoven (Sword Of State) and Berzelius (Extreme Choice), and hot filly Blue Door (Stay Inside) in the G3 San Domenico Stakes, but he's also a proven performer over 1300 metres, having won the $50,000 Paul Perry 2YO Handicap on debut over the trip.
Southend is the third foal and first black-type horses for Listed Adelaide Guineas winner So We Are (So You Think {NZ}), whose stakes-performed dam Oui Si Attitude (Bianconi {USA}) is a half to the dams of Twin Hills Stud stallion Peltzer and G3 Greyville Cup Trial winner Crown Towers (Camelot {GB}).
Southend as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The female line traces to one of the many prolific families developed by the Aga Khan IV in Europe, sprung from Safiah (Fr) (St Paddy {GB}). Her recent Group 1-winning descendants including G1 Coronation Stakes winner Watch Me (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), G1 The St Leger winner Encke (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}), and G1 Yorkshire Oaks victress Shareta (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}).
So We Are delivered a Maurice (Jpn) filly in 2025, before visiting Harry Angel (Ire).
Southend was a $425,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for his trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou from Mill Park Stud. Mick Huxtable purchased his Russian Revolution half-brother for $85,000 at this year's Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
Eagle Farm, Race 4, 1:03pm AEST, BECOME A BRC MEMBER QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap, $85,000, 1400m
High Authority, 3-year-old colt (Lucky Vega {Ire} x Who Doubted Me {Not a Single Doubt})
Running in the Yulong bottle green and white under the steerage of Kelly Schweida, High Authority (Lucky Vega {Ire}) kicked off his preparation with a win at the Gold Coast in late June. He looks to get back on track on Saturday after a strong fourth at Doomben over 1350 metres. He was far closer the start before when third over 1400 metres by half a length.
High Authority is the second foal out of well related Who Doubted Me (Not A Single Doubt), a winning half-sister to five-time Group winner See You In Heaven (Divine Prophet). Yulong paid just $1500 for Who Doubted Me in a 2021 Inglis Digital sale, not long after See You In Heaven had turned two. In the November of that year, she would grab her first piece of black-type when winning the G3 Ottawa Stakes on debut.
High Authority as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The enterprise added See You In Heaven to their broodmare band at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale, paying $1 million for her, and sent her to Alabama Express last spring for her maiden cover.
Who Doubted Me has a yearling and weanling colt by Lucky Vega and Alabama Express's rostermate Tagaloa, after which she was given the season off. Trilogy Racing, Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA), and 888 Racing bought the 2024 model for $70,000 at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
High Authority has been retained to race by his breeder after passing in at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses In Training Sale.
Looking Back
Esnaad (Tassort) - Ran a strong second at Gosford behind a smart one.
Stratford (NZ) (Super Seth) - Ran a nice race for third on debut at Gosford.
Zendarina (Trapeze Artist) - Ran second at Geelong, a win is not far away.
