Group Two Zipping Classic winner She’s A Hustler (NZ) (Ace High) will have the third run of her campaign when she tackles the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on Saturday.

At her second-up run last start she finished third in the Gr.2 Hollindale Cup (1800m) behind Pride Of Jenni and Birdman.

She will again be up against that pair and Half Yours in the Doomben Cup.

“She’s ticking over really well. We were delighted with the run around the Gold Coast on an unsuitable track,” trainer Grahame Begg said.

“We are looking forward to next Saturday as we are building our blocks with her. Up to 2000m will suit but it’s her next run in the Q22 over 2200m where she will come to the fore and then it’s off to the spring.”

Begg said after She's A Hustler won the Zipping Classic, his goal in 2026 will be to win the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) at the same track and distance.

Meanwhile Begg is planning to give his gifted mare Niance (NZ) (Swiss Ace) the chance to make it back-to-back wins in the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m) at Sandown on Saturday.

Niance resumed from a spell with a close-up 10th in the John Hawkes Stakes at Morphettville where she had a wide run throughout.

“She pulled up with a little issue from Adelaide last start. She got on herself the top of the coronary band and its taken a little time to heal,” Begg said.

“We think she’s back on song now.” - Racing.com

Grinzinger Moon continues unbeaten NZ run

A failed attempt to get Grinzinger Moon (Puissance De Lune) in foal last year is proving to be a blessing in disguise, with stakes targets now in her sights after she continued her unbeaten streak in New Zealand on Saturday.

Commencing her career in Australia, the daughter of Puissance De Lune won four consecutive races for trainer Ben Brisbourne before putting in a couple of subpar unplaced runs at the start of last winter and owner-breeder John Wheeler decided to retire her to the broodmare paddock.

Wheeler sent her over to New Zealand for her first mating, but after failing to conceive she was brought out of retirement and placed in the care of Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood.

She placed in her 1000m trial at Avondale in March before heading to Ellerslie’s midweek meeting last week where she scored by a head, giving jockey Ethan Jones his first win on New Zealand shores.

The expat English hoop was once again in the saddle on Saturday, and while they were posted three-wide for the entirety of the trip, Grinzinger Moon showed her tenacity when rallying down the home straight to run out a convincing 2-1/2 length victor.

“It was a huge effort,” James said. “She was three wide facing the breeze the whole way outside the leaders. If she had fallen in the ground at the 300m you wouldn’t have blamed her.

“She is a mare that could be worthy of sitting tight and setting for some of the better sprints in the summertime.

“The owner said that he is not solid on mating her again if she can perform, and she has certainly done that, so we might have a bit of fun in the spring.”

Grinzinger Moon is out of Redoute’s Choice mare Taqdees, a daughter of stakes performer Later Gator, and a three-quarter sister to Group Two winner Wee Nessy, Group Two performer Snapback, and Group Three performer Adios.

She has now won six of her 10 starts to date and earned more than $102,000 in prizemoney.

Her victory capped a pleasing day for the stable, which started on a bad note when they were forced to scratch race favourite Excite out of the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) following a spike in his temperature.

Incandescent (NZ) (Per Incanto) avenged his stablemate when taking out the juvenile feature, and Grinzinger Moon secured a stable double with her victory later on the card, while Arwen and Cosmic Dream also pleased with their placings.

Meanwhile, across the Tasman, stablemate Solid Gold (NZ) (Savabeel) got her Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) campaign off to a pleasing start at Doomben when running fifth in the Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m). - Joshua Smith LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Ima Brazen One earns deserved win

Ima Brazen One (NZ) (Brazen Beau) earned a deserved victory in front of her large group of owners at Otaki on Saturday when taking out the Jennian Homes Handicap (1200m).

The Mike Breslin-trained mare was beaten by just a neck when first-up at Woodville last month when hampered by a falling horse, but she wasn’t to be denied on Saturday following a top ride by in-form apprentice jockey Toni Davies.

Davies pushed Ima Brazen One to the front from barrier rise and the five-year-old daughter of Brazen Beau travelled comfortably as she dictated terms to her five rivals.

Davies asked the mare for her best halfway down the home straight and she found a nice kick to hold out a stern challenge from Legally Binding, who chased hard but couldn’t get closer than half a length at the winning post.

Ima Brazen One is one of several runners raced by the In To Win syndication programme that has been put together by former jockey Tineke Balcombe, with Balcombe on hand to celebrate with a large group of smiling owners after the race.

“I think she really deserved that win and we were quietly confident,” Balcombe said.

“Last start she should have won as she clipped a fallen horse and still managed to fight on when she probably should have chucked it in.

“She has matured a bit now and ran hard to the line.

“She has been like a bull out of a gate in the past, especially around at the start, but now she will likely head back to the tie-ups and stand as quiet as a lamb.”

Davies paid tribute to the grit and determination of her mount.

“When she gets left alone like that she really knuckles down and nothing was going to cross me,” she said.

“She is getting better the older she gets and it is all about just getting her settled then leaving her alone and she skipped away nicely.”

The victory was part of a winning treble for Davies, who also rode Shameless Star and Riverplate to win the Cavallo Farm & Chris Rutten Bloodstock Three-Year-Old (1200m) and Listed James Bull Rangitikei Gold Cup (1600m) respectively.

Bred by Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud, Ima Brazen One was purchased for $100,000 out of Cambridge Stud’s draft at the 2022 Karaka Yearling Sales and her career record now stands at six wins from 20 starts and more than $150,000 in earnings. - Kevin Robertson LOVERACING.NZ News Desk