Craig Kerry

October 24, 2026 — 5:18pm

Rosehill trainer David Payne was excited for what’s to come from immature surprise packet Proxima Dea after she gave him a third group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) win to cement her place as the VRC Oaks favourite.

The full sister to Queensland Oaks winner Gypsy Goddess took her unbeaten career to five, pushing to sit outside the leader in the $2 million three-year-old feature from the outside gate under Zac Lloyd before going for home on the home bend at Randwick on Saturday. The tactic paid off as Gloaming Stakes (1800m) winner Proxima Dea, unwanted with a $300,000 reserve at yearling sales and retained by her breeders, fended off favourite and Flight Stakes (1600m) champion Global Goal by a length and a half. Cormier was third.

Proxima Dea after winning the Spring Champion Stakes.…