The absolute chart toppers are decided over Cup Carnival, of course — but there’s an excitement around the hustle for winning a place on that show at all.
If you used to tune in the radio daddio for Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 or rush the television to watch Ready To Roll on a Saturday, the 2026 Sires’ Stakes Ranking Order charts might give fans a Top Of The Trots buzz….
The absolute chart topper in all sections is decided over Cup Carnival, of course — but there’s a spring excitement feeling the hustle for getting a place on that show at all.
Some, who critics tipped to be Number One about now, are drifting to the dancefloor fringes as we get past the long‑distance dedications and into the top 20 — or 13, as the race‑day case will be!
Here where the newly released hot‑shot colt Tour Party finds himself in danger of missing the bus completely with a drop to number 14 on the chart as we count ’em down.
Not all ahead of him are guaranteed airplay at Addington, and the flipside is Ashburton at Labour Weekend can still be a bonus‑track banger to complete the hits so far.
Staying with the young groovers and the Dunstan Series gals, where Eternal Perfection finds herself on the hump to get the bump, and another high‑flyer Nella Keenan needs to find her rhythm soon. Number 11 means she’s still cool but not confirmed….
This year's Nevele R release is like Solid Gold Hits Volume 2026! — no surprise given the series quality and demands year in year out.
A rock‑star Oaks winner with a top 4 in the early tracks would surely be side one track one but?....
🎶“Yes it’s me your Cath eeey I’m not home”… yet. 🎶
Other series divas — All Of Me, Harness Million winner River, Group(ie) Alecto — are on the outside looking in, and even Ripples is coming back from Australia for another gig in Ashvegas to find her happy place.
‘DJ Marty’ insists there’s no place for panic just yet though, because late arrivals have landed the top spot when it actually matters many times…
“I’m remembering All Of Me was on the cusp of not qualifying just last year in the Dunstan Series even after Ashburton but got there through some natural attrition and enough good form to win the final — and in 2023 Our Shangri Lana came from thirty‑something a few weeks out and was on top when it counted on Show Day!”
CEO Martin Pierson by day, also points to the selection process — considering other stakes races and wins as factors outside the series when producing the final fields.
He says the chase for stardom bursts into reality for some as the demands to perform on the brightest stage takes a toll.
“We’ll know a lot more in a fortnight of course, but touring a horse from Auckland to Christchurch and vice versa, as we see in say the Caduceus Club Series, makes for an intense itinerary — and some connections put the record in the rack to play another day, because there are more and more dates or opportunities in the schedule now.”
“Keep your feet on the ground and reach for the stars. Now, on with the countdown”....
The top floor was overflowing with the Oktoberfest vibes. The Next Gen clutching yardglasses, watching from the Lager feld. Meanwhile there were long shots and depth chargers dropping out on the track.
Did Scoundrel just blow up all prediction markets for this series?! The hot shots served up the hard stuff from the outset, but a big‑striding, rangey sleeper in the field just sat it out early then surged when the home‑run burn set in — relished it to the last drop!
“Surely something went wrong tonight with those big boys,” says Benny Hill post‑race…
Or maybe they just couldn't handle it?...
The serious stakes‑winning trainer took the colt’s breeders, Kevin and Bev Chapman, up on an offer to look at some weanlings in their barn for sale. He liked the three‑quarter brother by Captaintrecherous to his stable star of the day, Beach Ball enough to bring some of his most loyal owners in on the potential.
The Scoundrel is now a gun two‑year‑old dressed in a older frame.
Heads were still shaking — some hurting — Saturday morning, we reckon…
Even the best bet in the themed racebook on name alone, Indulge Me, seemed to set some records straight tonight.
As good as in the Cup Week final with close minor placings already through the earlier rounds, the Captaintrecherous filly laid down the law to lead out of the gait — and Nathan was staying there no matter what.
For sure, her ¾ sister Cherish Me shoulda/woulda/coulda — and might still if she can run straight next time — but the winner did all the donkey and walked the walk!
Any pure form fan can’t ignore the impact a couple of Boss Matriarchs are making from the broodmare paddock here. In this case, Adore Me producing the quinella with her granddaughter and daughter!
I’m The Boss has a boss grandma too — One Dream! Arguably the benchmark racing‑pacing filly of the modern era before Adore Me accepted the baton.
Was Blair Oranjeboom just showing off his charge for her bar full of owners by whipping out from the box seat behind a fast stablemate with a round still to run? Turns out no… well, maybe a little yes — but really, know. As in, “I know what I’ve got and I’m going to use it.”
About seventy squeezed from the lager and ale haus out to the winners’ circle — and then into the winners’ bar, which quickly felt like a closet there were so many!
Well‑schooled post‑race speakers come celebrities — Peter Baken and Ram Reddy — mixed with first‑timers Liz and Mark Melbourne.
The two novices are now bouncing around how to work some serious social doubles at the Avonhead Tennis Club in with two sets of standardbred stakes racing during Cup Week.
Their other dink into Cullen Racing syndicated horses is Eyes Wide Open, who has a similar ranking to The Boss among our two‑year‑old trotters! What a pickle…
Is this the next round of super fillies? The Boss, Belle, Jorja, Nella, and even Suva, baby! There seems to be a lot to drink in this year.
One more for the road — then it’s one more on the road.
“Prost!” … and to the dance of the desperates in Ashvegas, Magic Monday, Labour Weekend!
