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.
On Tuesday, Newcastle is where the excitement is, and both runners will be chasing that maiden victory at start number two. A 5-year-old daughter of Zousain comes back in trip to play to her serious turn of foot, and a 3-year-old son of Stay Inside steps up in distance to give himself a greater wind-up.
Newcastle, Race 3, 3.05pm AEDT, Horsepower Feeds And Suppliments 4YO&Up Maiden Handicap, $42,000, 900m
Lucsain, 5-year-old mare (Zousain x Love Lucille {Manhattan Rain})
David Pfieffer and connections have been patient in bringing Lucsain (Zousain) along, but the mare is ready to fire at start number two, having been beaten a lip on debut at Canberra in September over 1000 metres. The 100-metre shortened trip looks to suit, given the mare's fierce frontrunning tendencies and slick trials ahead of her debut effort.
Lucsain is bidding to make it a perfect five winners from five runners for Love Lucille (Manhattan Rain), a full sister to G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Scarlet Rain. Their dam Double Ranga (Exceed And Excel) was a juvenile winner and is a half-sister to Listed winners Hesitates - Happy Forever (Mac) (Commands) and Super Lacuna (Grand Lodge {USA}), the latter of whom has produced 11-time winner Canidae (Foxwedge).
Lucsain as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Another half-sister is the dam of Military Zone (Epaulette), winner of the G3 Fred Best Classic and the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas, as well as the Listed Gosford Guineas. This is the family of dual Group 1 winner and sire Toorak Toff.
Offered by Widden Stud, Lucsain was a $90,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase for her trainer in partnership with Koolman Bloodstock and TWA Racing & Breeding.
Love Lucille has a yearling colt by Captivant, and awaits a foal by Star Turn this spring.
Newcastle, Race 6, 4.55pm AEDT, Drinkwise Provincial Maiden Plate, $45,000, 1300m
Hidden News, 3-year-old gelding (Stay Inside x Great News {Uncle Mo {USA}})
Kim Waugh sends Hidden News (Stay Inside) back to the same track as his debut effort last month in search of a maiden victory. The gelding had finished strongly for fourth place in that run behind Excelluna (Exceed And Excel), who had been well seasoned as a 2-year-old. It is a step up from the 900 metres of that start, but given how he came home, the additional 400 metres will provide the perfect wind-up for him to land the killing blow second time out.
Hidden News is the first foal of five-time winner and multiple stakes performer Great News (Uncle Mo {USA}), who was also trained by Waugh. Her dam Wonderful News (Clang) is a half-sister to Listed Winter Stakes winner Oxford Poet (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), who earned over $730,000 on the track, Listed performer Oxford Heart (Lion Heart {USA}), and 10-time winner Prince Monashee (Monashee Mountain {USA}).
Hidden News as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Two sisters to Wonderful News have also been stakes producers; Miss Monashee (Monashee Mountain {USA}) is the dam of five-time winner and Listed performer Oxford Tycoon (Written Tycoon) and Oxford Angel (Nicconi) produced G3 Breeders' Plate winner King Kirk (Ole Kirk).
Hidden News was a $70,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase for his trainer from the draft of Blue Gum Farm. The same vendor sold his full brother at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale this year to Redfox Racing for $100,000.
Great News foaled a filly by Capitalist in 2025 and was then covered by Jacquinot.
Looking Back
Sunday, October 4, 2026
Gilgeous (Farnan) - Ran well at Bendigo but just met one faster in Certainly Quiet (Dundeel {NZ}), finished second by a length and a half.
Volestain (Zousain) - Never in contention, ran in seventh spot the whole trip.
