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By Ray Hickson

An overdue Group win for Lady Laguna is in trainer Annabel Neasham’s sights at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Trainer Annabel Neasham (Pic: Grant Guy)

The four-year-old is already a dual Listed winner and has been placed eight times in stakes races up to Group 2 level but on the back of successive wins in Queensland, Neasham feels the Group 3 $250,000 TAB Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) is a good opportunity.

Lady Laguna signalled she was in for a big summer with a close second to Brudenell when resuming and then went bang, bang, with wins in the Nudgee Stakes and the $1m Magic Millions F&M three weeks ago.

“She ran in all the big two-year-old races then again as a three-year-old, she’s got a lot of black type but she’s only a Listed winner,’’ Neasham said on Sky Sports Radio.

“It’d be great to add a Group 3 to her CV because it all helps in the long run when she eventually heads to the breeding barn.

“She’s just in really good form, she’s had a little freshen up with a week in the paddock. Obviously we’re coming back in trip so we have kept her very fresh.”

James McDonald had only his second ride on the mare at the Gold Coast, his other came two years ago at her third race start, and retains the ride at Rosehill.

Neasham said the Group 2 $300,000 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on February 24 is her short term aim and expects if Lady Laguna, $2.25 with TAB on Thursday, has some fortune from near the outside in the small field she will be hard to beat.

“It’s a slightly awkward draw but we’ve got the best man on board,’’ she said.

Kristilli gives Neasham a back-up in the Southern Cross and she said it was a late decision to tackle that race, as a late nomination, after Plan A was to run in the Benchmark 88.

She showed a heap of promise last year winning the Group 2 Percy Sykes, downing Tiz Invincible and Kimochi, but only had the one run in the spring finishing last in the Heritage Stakes behind Ozzmosis.

“She’s a filly we’ve had a big opinion of, she just for whatever reason last prep didn’t come up at all,’’ Neasham said.

“She was pretty wayward in her work and her races but this preparation she’s come back really sensible, she’s been relaxed in her work.

“We’re throwing her slightly in the deep end but it looks a nice starting point before heading to the Light Fingers two weeks later.”

Neasham won the Group 3 $250,000 Widden Stakes (1100m) last year with Learning To Fly and while her 2024 representative Pushpa doesn’t come with the same boom she’s expecting a solid debut.

The Pierata youngster has trialled three times and Neasham saw something in her latest to say she’s heading in the right direction.

“She’s a lovely filly, a well bred filly, and improved a lot in that last trial,’’ she said.

“We wanted to give her a wake up and let her hit the line and she did that. It’s a strong race but the winner is always a good horse and I think she deserves her place.”

Import Morning Sun has his second Australian start, and will renew rivalries with another import Age Of Sail, in the James Squire Handicap (2000m).

Lady Laguna wins at Gold Coast on January 13

He was initially going to run at Kensington on Wednesday and Neasham said she held her breath for the barrier draw at Rosehill after electing to miss the midweek race and was rapt to score the inside alley.

“We were really happy with him (first-up). The winner of that race heads there as well,’’ she said.

“I think he’s a nice progressive horse and is going to keep improving as he steps out in trip.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting