Captains Mistress locks in NZ plans following Victoria Cup win

By Adam Hamilton 

Get ready Kaikoura.

Trainer Jason Grimson locked in New Zealand plans for his wonder mare Captains Mistress after she cruised to an historic win in last night’s Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton.

She became the first mare to win the iconic race since it was first run in 1974.

It was his 14th win from 15 starts this year and her sixth at Group 1 level in 2026.

“She’s booked a flight (to NZ) next Sunday,” Grimson said. “Her and Minos are going to Kaikoura.”

As popular at Kaikoura is, Captains Mistress’ presence will take it to a whole new level on November 2.

While Grimson definitively ruled out the NZ Cup, the fact Captains Mistress will be in NZ means the Group 1 NZ free-for-all on November 13 could be a target.

That gives hope to the first rematch between Captains Mistress and Leap To Fame since she upstaged him in that epic Brisbane Inter Dominion final on July 18.

Leap To Fame cruised to victory at Albion Park last night, his third win this campaign, and will have one more race before heading across for the NZ Cup.

Trainer-driver Grant Dixon said backing up in the free-for-all was a logical option if the champ came through his Cup run well.

Leap To Fame backed-up last year and won the NZ free-for-all after his second to Kingman in the NZ Cup.

Last night's Victoria Cup looked like a “lock” for Captains Mistress when she drew gate three and that’s how it played out.

The much-improved Nyack led as many expected and took a sit on Captains Mistress, eventually running a great race to get within 1.3m of the mare in a 53.9sec last half.

But Grimson revealed the win didn’t come without its concerns.

“She’s been in season the past few days and I was very worried. She was squealing like a colt out there before the race. It shows how good she is,” he said.

While she is definitely heading to NZ, the trip will be shorter than first planned.

“Now she can chase this ($1 million) bonus (in Victoria), she won’t go to Auckland anymore. She’ll come home after Christchurch,” Grimson said.

The Victoria Cup was this year added as the first leg of the qualifying races for the $1 million Summer of Glory bonus.

Captains Mistress will have to add three more of the five remaining “qualifying” races, plus the Hunter Cup, to land the bonus.

Ironically, it was Grimson who denied Leap To Fame the bonus earlier this year when Swayzee upstaged him in the Hunter Cup.

Grimson confirmed Minos, who ran a solid ninth in the Victoria Cup, would accompany Captains Mistress to NZ.

“He’ll go to the Kaikoura Cup, too. He’ll need another run before the (NZ) Cup,” he said.

Luke McCarthy declared Kingman right on target for his NZ Cup defence after a luckless and late closing fourth in the Victoria Cup.

“He went great. He was climbing all over them at one stage,” he said. “It was always going to be hard from inside the back row and that’s how it turned out.

“But it was a sprint home and he hit the line so strongly.

“He won’t run again. Like last year, he’ll go straight into the (NZ) Cup next and I’ll take him over there late, just a couple of days before it.”