NZB Kiwi 2026

[hesi]

75 days out and already it looks like this race is going to well and truly screw the pattern of 3 year old racing.

Well Written, we will never know if she was a candidate for the Oaks and Derby.  She has Pakistan 11 blood in her, with Jocasta being her 6th dam, so unlikely Remember Jocasta.

Romanoff and Lollapalooza have both run in a manner and have sufficient staying blood to suggest they would have been aimed for the Oaks and/or Derby.

That won't happen now as their program will be built around peaking for a 1500m race.

At this stage unless the late bloomers step up, the Oaks and Derby are looking like very average fields

[Murray Fish]

22 minutes ago, hesi said:

Jocasta.

 a very fast two year from 50+ years ago!  Did the Saunders train her?

[curious]

12 minutes ago, Murray Fish said:

 a very fast two year from 50+ years ago!  Did the Saunders train her?

Pakistan?

[hesi]

Yes

GK & W Sanders

 

[hesi]

Jocasta won the North island Challenge Stakes in 1975

[Chief Stipe]

32 minutes ago, hesi said:

Well Written, we will never know if she was a candidate for the Oaks and Derby.  She has Pakistan 11 blood in her, with Jocasta being her 6th dam, so unlikely Remember Jocasta

I don't think Written Tycoon has left any Stakes winners past 1600m.  He has had broodmares with plenty of staying blood in their pedigree.

[hesi]

10 minutes ago, hesi said:

Jocasta won the North island Challenge Stakes in 1975

JOCASTA, by Pakistan II*. Third top filly on The 1974-75 NZ 2YO Free H. 6 wins at 2, Avondale JC Nivea S., Gr.3, WRC North Island Challenge S., L, Matamata Breeders' S., L, WRC Fitzherbert H., Hopeful S., 4th ARC Railway H., Gr.1. Half-sister to PORSHA (dam of Nerissa, Shylock - Smart Guy (Aust.)), DUN ALLEN, Jezza (dam of TOUCH JUDGE). Dam of 8 named foals, 6 to race, 5 winners, inc:-

[hesi]

Just now, hesi said:

JOCASTA, by Pakistan II*. Third top filly on The 1974-75 NZ 2YO Free H. 6 wins at 2, Avondale JC Nivea S., Gr.3, WRC North Island Challenge S., L, Matamata Breeders' S., L, WRC Fitzherbert H., Hopeful S., 4th ARC Railway H., Gr.1. Half-sister to PORSHA (dam of Nerissa, Shylock - Smart Guy (Aust.)), DUN ALLEN, Jezza (dam of TOUCH JUDGE). Dam of 8 named foals, 6 to race, 5 winners, inc:-

Off note, ran 4th in the Railway handicap of 1975 as a 2 year old

[Chief Stipe]

50 minutes ago, hesi said:

Romanoff and Lollapalooza have both run in a manner and have sufficient staying blood to suggest they would have been aimed for the Oaks and/or Derby.

Romanoff - if they think he can run 2400m why not aim for the Australian Derby 4 weeks after the KiwiB or Queensland Derby in May?

[Chief Stipe]

4 minutes ago, hesi said:

JOCASTA, by Pakistan II*. Third top filly on The 1974-75 NZ 2YO Free H. 6 wins at 2, Avondale JC Nivea S., Gr.3, WRC North Island Challenge S., L, Matamata Breeders' S., L, WRC Fitzherbert H., Hopeful S., 4th ARC Railway H., Gr.1. Half-sister to PORSHA (dam of Nerissa, Shylock - Smart Guy (Aust.)), DUN ALLEN, Jezza (dam of TOUCH JUDGE). Dam of 8 named foals, 6 to race, 5 winners, inc:-

Sorry I don't how this signals Well Written can run an Oaks?

[hesi]

1 minute ago, Chief Stipe said:

Sorry I don't how this signals Well Written can run an Oaks?

Just reminiscing

[Chief Stipe]

56 minutes ago, hesi said:

75 days out and already it looks like this race is going to well and truly screw the pattern of 3 year old racing.

The KiwiB isn't the culprit shifting the Derby is as well as the Karaka Millions.

The Boxing Day Derby did fit in well with the Guineas races however now you have to give your horse a break in between.  Damn hard to keep them up from July to March without a break.

[hesi]

If you look back at the winners of the Railway in 70's, 80's and 90's it is an impressive list of horses

Mayo Gold in 1970

And of course as we progress into today's world Avantage and Imperatriz

[hesi]

2 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

The KiwiB isn't the culprit shifting the Derby is as well as the Karaka Millions.

The Boxing Day Derby did fit in well with the Guineas races however now you have to give your horse a break in between.  Damn hard to keep them up from July to March without a break.

Let's see what other horses are targeted by slot holders.

Even your mate's horse Pivotal Ten last year lol

[Chief Stipe]

3 minutes ago, hesi said:

If you look back at the winners of the Railway in 70's, 80's and 90's it is an impressive list of horses

Mayo Gold in 1970

And of course as we progress into today's world Avantage and Imperatriz

Geez @hesi did you have a cup of nostalgia tea this morning?  Drifting off topic.

[Chief Stipe]

1 minute ago, hesi said:

Even your mate's horse Pivotal Ten last year lol

A bridge too far and is a case in point.  It must have been in work since June and raced every month until the following March.  10 months!!  Most trainers work on two 6 race start cycles with a spell in between.  In OZ they have the horses at near peak for those 6 starts.

[Huey]

Agree couldn't see a filly with that sort of brilliance getting an Oaks trip & @Chief Stipe is correct not many by that sire perform further than a mile.

Anything in Aus likely to threaten her in slot race? 

Only missing the race through some unforseen circumstance can you see her not winning. 

[hesi]

9 minutes ago, Huey said:

Agree couldn't see a filly with that sort of brilliance getting an Oaks trip & @Chief Stipe is correct not many by that sire perform further than a mile.

Anything in Aus likely to threaten her in slot race? 

Only missing the race through some unforseen circumstance can you see her not winning. 

75 days is a long time in racing

[hesi]

44 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Geez @hesi did you have a cup of nostalgia tea this morning?  Drifting off topic.

We could always start a nostalgia thread lol

[Chief Stipe]

11 minutes ago, Huey said:

Only missing the race through some unforseen circumstance can you see her not winning. 

We have yet to see Well Written racing in tight quarters and really challenged.  Those two factors undid Velocious and Alabama Lass.

[Chief Stipe]

3 minutes ago, hesi said:

We could always start a nostalgia thread lol

What when the NZ TAB had a real monopoly and the only alternative was the pub bookie who offered less for cash?

[Gammalite]

19 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

What when the NZ TAB had a real monopoly and the only alternative was the pub bookie who offered less for cash?

When KIWI won the Cup 🏆 . great nostalgic moment  😎 was a bit bigger for NZ than the Nzb kiwi race lol. 

This bloke in video is a great bit of Nostalgia as well . getting an MBE and all for services/accomplishments to NZ racing .  A star of the show. and prepare tough horses to boot. Bred them , worked them, did the lot.