3-Year-Old Summary: Proxima Dea remains unbeaten with tough Spring Champion triumph

Cover image courtesy of Inglis

Proxima Dea tough and tenacious

Rosehill trainer David Payne may have always worked with relatively small numbers, but he has made a habit of winning the G1 Spring Champion Stakes, with the tough filly Proxima Dea (Tarzino {NZ}) becoming his third winner of the race after Ace High and Montefilia (Kermedec {NZ}).

Proxima Dea took her unbeaten record to five wins, adding a Group 1 victory against the boys to her record, and looks a strong chance to extend her tally in the coming weeks in the G1 Victorian Oaks.

There was a strong charge early, with Zac Lloyd jumping Proxima Dea out sharply before working across from her wide draw to sit outside the front-running Cormier (Maurice {Jpn}).

Scarole (Ole Kirk) settled in the trail, while race favourite and last-start Group 1 winner Global Goal (Pinatubo {Ire}) found a lovely position about fifth on the outer.

Just before the turn, Dylan Gibbons began creeping forward aboard Global Goal to get into the race. However, Cormier kicked strongly, and Proxima Dea levelled up at the 200-metre mark before proving simply too strong for her opposition. She won by a length and a half from Global Goal, who maintained a strong staying run, with Cormier just behind in third.

Asked about the filly's make-up, trainer David Payne said:

“To look at her you wouldn’t give much for her but she seems to have everything- guts, heart and class. I said to Zac she will outstay them, we can’t have a sit and sprint. I told him if nothing goes, you go, get up outside the leader and go early on her.

“We know the further the better with this filly. She can go to the Oaks now. The extra 500m won’t be a problem, she will love it and we can give her an easier ride.’’

Comparing Proxima Dea with his previous Spring Champion Stakes winner Montefilia.

“This filly keeps surprising me. Montefilia was a good filly but I think she stays better than Montefilia. I think Montefilia was maybe maximum 2000 metres.”

Lloyd was impressed by how comfortably Proxima Dea handled the Group 1 assignment.

“That’s her easiest win today and it was in a G1. She is a beauty, just tries her hardest. When I got outside the lead, pretty comfortably I knew it was going to be awfully hard to get to her and then also get past her.”

Reflecting on her unbeaten record, he said:

“It’s so hard to do what she has done to win five in a row. The world is her oyster.”

Lloyd also explained why he was confident she would prove difficult to run down late.

“To be fair after about 400m I thought it was game over. I have a lot of faith in her. I knew how tough she was last start. The fact she was a length or two in front of the main rivals. Was always going to be the strongest late.”

Sales info: Proxima Dea was purchased for $300,000 by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock from the North Bloodstock draft at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Pedigree info: Proxima Dea is by the G1 Victoria Derby winner Tarzino (NZ) and is a full sister to the G1 Queensland Oaks victress Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}), who placed twice more at Group 1 level amongst Sydney’s autumn 3-year-old classics and was third in the $10 million Golden Eagle.

Proxima Dea is out of the unraced Redoute's Choice mare Invisible Coin, who has left six winners in total, including the four-time winner and Listed-placed Bitcoin (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}).

Invisible Coin is a full sister to the Group 1 winner Cheeky Choice (Redoute's Choice) and is related to the Listed-winning sprinter Blondeau (I Am Invincible).

Invisible Coin has since left a yearling colt by Anamoe and delivered a Cylinder colt in September.

Buggsy scores under a brilliant Williams ride

Following scratchings, just six runners contested the G3 Red Anchor Stakes at Flemington, where the Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr)-trained Buggsy (Harry Angel {Ire}) scored narrowly but impressively under a masterful Craig Williams ride.

There was plenty of early action, with Beau Mertens taking Inner Gold (Zoustar) to the lead just ahead of The Speed Machine (Hanseatic), as the field elected to stay towards the middle of the track down the straight.

Closer to the rail, Half Pipe (Extreme Warrior) and Valaroso (Nicconi) loomed up to match motors, effectively creating a line of four runners up front.

At about the 300-metre mark, Valaroso looked likely to take control, while The Speed Machine continued kicking a little wider out. However, Williams had Buggsy travelling sweetly just behind the leaders and switched him towards the rail. The promising son of Harry Angel (Ire) proved too strong late, scoring by a neck from The Speed Machine to give the stable a quinella, with another half-length back to Valaroso in third.

Michael Kent (Jnr) commented that Craig Williams had identified the Red Anchor Stakes as a suitable target immediately after the colt's previous run.

“The second Craig (Williams) hopped off the horse last start he said ‘Red Anchor, three weeks’.

“The blinkers went on and I thought it was very gutsy. I have to ask Craig but at the half mile he veered in and overreacted badly. Very messy there for several strides but he was very tough up the fence. That was great.

“We knew he’d like the straight and we thought he was well placed. The race did fall away a little bit, to be frank. The horse deserved that.

“He’s been thereabouts and back into premier form. He was only beaten three-lengths by the best colt in The Next Episode.”

Williams outlined how Buggsy responded to racing in blinkers for the first time under race conditions.

“First time in race conditions with blinkers on. Early on he was in a nice rhythm and spotted on outside of him and put his head up.

“Just ran across horses’ heels and I thought, ‘oh God, that is a no go zone’. Then he got back and he was under pressure. He had the horses to stalk in front. Up on the inside was fine. Went to the front and got a bit of pressure.

“He started wandering, looking for his mates as he can’t see them with the blinkers on. It still was a good, tough, determined win today.”

Sales info: Flying Start Syndications and Pinhook Bloodstock (FBAA) bought Buggsy as a yearling for $80,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, then he was sold to his trainers for $300,000 at the following Inglis Ready2Race Sale, where he was offered by Hannover Lodge.

Pedigree info: Buggsy is one of two winners for Miss Severina (Foxwedge), a winning half-sister to the dual Group winner Brave Song (Your Song). Miss Severina’s dam is a half to dual Group winner Brave Prince (Kenmare {Fr}), from a family that has produced G2 Magic Night Stakes victress Media (Gilded Time {USA}), Group 2 winning mare Noire (Foxwedge), G1 JJ Atkins Plate winner Cool Archie, Group 1 winner Galaxy Star (Redoute’s Choice) and G2 Western Australian Derby winner Sentimental Legend (Brutal {NZ}).

Miss Severina since producing Buggsy has left a 2-year-old filly by Star Turn, a yearling colt by Better Than Ready and missed to Cool Aza Beel (NZ) last spring.

Central Europe wins with ease

The Chris Waller-trained Central Europe (Wootton Bassett {GB}) may have been considered one of the country's leading maiden prospects before the G3 Callander-Presnell at Randwick, but connections no longer need to worry about that status after the beautifully bred colt broke through with an authoritative victory.

Having finished behind the classy Warwoven (Sword Of State) at his last three starts, Central Europe relished the drop in class after a slashing fourth in the G1 Caulfield Guineas. A patient ride from Jason Collett allowed him to settle before unleashing his turn of foot, eventually scoring by a widening margin of just over three lengths.

There looked to be a solid tempo early, with Revengeance (Hellbent) taking up the running, Gridlock (Home Affairs) sitting outside the leader and the well-favoured Why So Hard (All Too hard) enjoying the one-one position.

Central Europe settled second-last, with Collett allowing the race to unfold in front of him. Shortly after straightening, Tyler Schiller aboard Why So Hard looked a winning chance as he loomed into contention. However, Central Europe was building through his gears and charging home, and the race was soon over as he surged clear. Why So Hard battled on well for second, while Lafite (Zoustar) was honest in third.

Stable representative Darren Beadman said Central Europe had shown plenty of promise from an early age, although there were still aspects of his racing that needed to improve.

“We obviously thought a lot of the colt early days as a 2-year-old running him in the better class 2-year-old races. He’s still doing a few of the little things wrong that he needed to be doing right in his early races.”

The experience of travelling to Melbourne and tackling the G1 Caulfield Guineas had also helped his development.

“But the trip down to Melbourne and running in a tough race, the Caulfield Guineas, has helped him. Today, the plan was to keep it very simple in the first half of the race. Then we had to trust his acceleration and his turn of speed.”

Beadman was particularly pleased to see the colt deliver the performance connections had long anticipated.

“But what he did today was what he has always promised at home. We nearly lost him at the 1000m mark. He wanted to get on the ‘chewy’ a bit but Jason (Collett) has beautiful hands and got him back underneath him.”

He added that Collett's handling of the colt had been crucial before the decisive acceleration.

“He had curled him up like a coiled spring coming into the corner. Once he let loose on him he was all class.’’

Sales info: Central Europe was purchased for $750,000 by Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock from the Coolmore Stud draft at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Pedigree info: Central Europe is superbly bred, being by Frankel (GB) and out of the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) who was also placed in the G1 The One Thousand Guineas.

She has left four individual winners, with Central Europe being her first stakes winner but having also left the Group 1-placed Year Of The Tiger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The G1 Prix de la Foret winner Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) also features in the family.

Tiggy Wiggy in recent times has left a 2-year-old colt named Carrousel (St Mark’s Basilica {Fr}), a yearling filly by Wotton Bassett (GB) and is due to foal to City Of Troy (USA) any day now.

Revolina too quick in the Brian Crowley

It was a significant step up into Listed grade for the Richard and Will Freedman-trained Revolina (Russian Revolution), who went straight from a maiden win at Hawkesbury to the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes. The speedy filly handled the rise in class with aplomb, defeating the boys at just her second start.

Tommy Berry jumped Revolina quickly out of the gates, and she comfortably took the lead from Our Emperor (Stay Inside), with Punxsutawney Phil (Ole Kirk) in the trail and the well-backed favourite Ciaron’s Star (I Am Invincible) settling at the rear of the small field after being slightly slow away.

Little changed during the run, with Berry largely allowed an uncontested lead, although Regan Bayliss applied some pressure aboard Our Emperor before the turn.

Revolina kicked strongly and never looked in serious danger of defeat. Behind her, Jason Collett had no luck aboard Ciaron’s Star, repeatedly running into traffic, while Punxsutawney Phil battled on well for second, a length and a half behind the winner. Our Emperor finished just behind in third, with the luckless Ciaron’s Star worth following after finishing fourth.

Revolina's performance was notable not only for capturing a black-type race at just her second start, but also for overcoming a difficult beginning to life. She was born with breathing difficulties and needed human intervention to survive.

"(Owner) Ricky (Surace) has told me a number of times she actually came out as a dummy foal and she was touch and go to even survive," co-trainer Will Freedman said.

"To get her back through that stage, come here at her second start… don't get me wrong, the pattern helped us, but she had the tactical speed to take advantage of the inside gate."

Revolina is bred and owned by Surace's B2B Thoroughbreds, which holds a slot in the $3 million Sunlight at the Gold Coast in January.

Surace has been keen to find a horse of his own for the feature, and Revolina is shaping as a leading candidate.

"The main goal has always been to get to the Sunlight at the Magic Millions, so we'll devise a plan from there," Freedman said.

"There may be another run in the spring, but she's almost earned her way to having a break.

"B2B have their own slot, so they've been crying out to find a horse they can run in it. She's doing really well."

Berry believes the 3-year-old has plenty of upside and will be better suited when ridden with a sit.

"I don't think that is the way to ride her, leading, but we were handed the lead today," Berry said.

"She still wanted to overdo things a little bit. I loved her tenacity late."

Sales info: Revolina was bred and is raced by B2B Thoroughbreds.

Pedigree info: Revolina is the second foal out of the four-time winner She’s Furline (I Am Invincible), who is a half-sister to the dual Group-placed 2-year-old Smart Manoeuvre (Smart Missile).

This is the extended family of the G1 Epsom Handicap winner Captain Sonador (Shamardal {USA}) and the dual Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Umaline (Umatilla {NZ}).

In recent times She’s Furline has left a 2-year-old filly by Best Of Bordeaux and a yearling colt by Daumier, before missing to that same stallion last spring.