Top-class three-year-old fillies Tempted and Apocalyptic are set to begin their autumn campaigns on separate paths, with a potential showdown looming in the Surround Stakes.

Tempted, who finished runner-up to Hong Kong star Ka Ying Rising in The Everest (1200m), will resume in a 1000-metre Group Trial at Randwick on Tuesday, while Apocalyptic will trial over 900 metres on the same morning.

The pair were among the standout fillies of the spring but have yet to meet on raceday.

Michael Freedman confirmed Apocalyptic would resume in the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) on February 14 before progressing to the Surround Stakes (1400m).

Meanwhile, Ciaron Maher’s assistant Jo Gerard-Dubord said Tempted would kick off in the Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m).

“She’s had a jump-out at Bong Bong, so we are just repeating what we did last prep,” Gerard-Dubord said.

“She will trial over 1000 metres on Tuesday and then she’s likely to start in the Eskimo Prince.

“There’s the Light Fingers after that, but at this stage the plan is to go to the Surround second-up. Three weeks in between runs probably works better.”

Gerard-Dubord said Tempted had returned stronger from her break.

“She is about fifteen kilos heavier than at the same stage last prep, so she has grown a bit,” he said.

“I think she has come back very well.”

Those tracking the Surround Stakes can monitor the latest betting markets for the race as the key contenders resume.

The post Top fillies on Surround Stakes collision course first appeared on Just Horse Racing.