07 April 2026
Any Luck prevails in the Warrnambool Cup
Kate Walters dedicated her 2026 Warrnambool Cup to the late Dean Holland, as her father Wayne’s Any Luck (NZ) (Puccini) denied favourite Alder (Australia) in a thriller on Thursday.
Backing up from a solid effort on Tuesday, Any Luck was unwanted in betting and wide, but travelled well throughout the 2350-metre journey, moving into contention early in the straight.
Alder ($4) fought valiantly to continue his superb form off a long-term layoff, but the Walters’ ultra-tough galloper would not give in and got the perfect bob on the line.
Walters was overcome with emotion on her return to scale, and paid tribute to one of her closest mates in a raw and heartfelt post-race interview.
“That’s for Dean. Dean was one of my best friends,” she said.
“I knew him before he had all the tatts; I was the one who got him drunk. I actually miss him all the time, and especially at these carnivals.
“It’s constantly missing him – I’d do anything to have him back.”
Walters wasn’t as surprised by the victory as the market, buoyed by Any Luck’s fourth-placed finish in Tuesday’s lead-up run.
Incredibly, Wayne Walters trained both of Any Luck’s sire Puccini, a dual G1 winner in New Zealand, who was narrowly beaten in the G3 Lord Reims for the Walters clan, and dam Luckzat (NZ), who herself ran fourth in the Warrnambool Cup. - NZ Racing Desk
Nolans dine out on Dee Oysters debut win
Promising two-year-old Dee Oyster’s (NZ) (Blue Point) debut win in the MyRacehorse 1100 at Ellerslie on Wednesday was a true family affair for the Nolans, and they are hopeful of a bright future with the son of Blue Point.
Trained by Sophia Nolan and her sister Hanna Orting, Dee Oyster was purchased by Nolan under her Lilywhites Lodge banner out of Seaton Park’s 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale draft for $30,000, and she races him in partnership with her husband, Derek Nolan, and father-in-law.
Dee Oyster has shown his trainers plenty early on, which was reinforced by jockey Masa Hashizume, who rode him in several track gallops as well as his trial at Avondale last month where he placed over 800m.
Buoyed by Hashizume’s feedback, Nolan and Orting elected to send him to the Ellerslie on Wednesday where he vindicated their early assessment when running out a one length victor over Phillyjean (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) after sitting parked outside the Samantha Logan-trained filly throughout.
“Originally we were going to give him another trial but then this race came up,” Sophia Nolan said. “Masa really liked him at the trials and I think he was pretty keen to be on him, so that gave us a bit of confidence to come here and he got the job done.”
Hashizume was impressed with Dee Oyster’s performance, and he believes he has a bright future instore.
”I galloped him before the trial and he gave me a really good feel,” Hashizume said. “Derek really rated this horse and I galloped him on Saturday as well at Puke (Pukekohe) and I was really confident today.
“The horse was giving his all, he was still keen in front, but he is a professional and proper horse.”
Sophia Nolan was rapt with the victory and said she is now weighing up whether to push on into winter with her gelding or put him aside in favour of some loftier spring targets.
“We will bring him home and see how he comes through it and then we will make a plan from there, whether it is bigger three-year-old targets or some of the winter series,” she said. - Joshua Smith
Joshua Smith
Paul Vettise
