Record-breaker Loucasso faces a new test in NSW Breeders Challenge Final

29 October 2026

RACING & SPORTS 

Record-breaking colt Loucasso will have to overcome a wide barrier if he is to extend his winning streak on New South Wales Breeders Challenge Finals night at Menangle on Saturday.

His three year-old colts and geldings decider is one of the highlights of six Breeders Challenge finals to be run on the program, four of them at Group 1 level.

Loucasso stretched his winning run to seven - four of them coming over the Menangle mile since returning from nine months on the sidelines - when he stopped the clock in a stunning 1:47.6 in last week's semi-final.

That set a new a new mark for three-year-old pacers in Australasia and showed why he is early favourite for next month's Eureka.

It also should have topped him off nicely for this week's Group 1 assignment but his task has been made more challenging by drawing 10, though he will come into eight should the emergencies not be required.

Unbeaten at both the circuit and the distance, he has the brilliance to overcome the barrier but does have to overcome some smart rivals, headed by the in-form Yottie.

The NSW Derby placegetter made it three from three this time in with a fighting win in his semi-final last week and is likely to start from barrier three. He has the early speed to take advantage of that draw so should get his chance.

Nocturnal did a great job to finish just over 2m off Loucasso last week given the scorching time. He has really developed some consistency, as has Alert Bay who was good again after working last week and won well prior. Both of those of colts have been competitive with Loucasso of late and could push him again.

Speedy filly Ark Sea was another to break an Australasian record last week, setting a new mark for her age and sex so looks the one to beat in the three-year-olds fillies' final.

Her impressive semi-final-winning performance maintained her perfect record this time in and added to a strong record at the Menangle mile. She draws closer to the pegs and has the speed to take advantage of that.

Queensland visitor Stripes has been impossible to knock in putting five wins together, the last two coming in a heat and semi of this series, both at this circuit and distance.

It would've helped her to have drawn inside Ark Sea but she is in terrific form and may still find a way to deliver again.

One More Reason is a consistent filly who came from the same barrier (seven) for second to Ark Sea last week and won from a similar draw prior. She can be in the finish along with Eye Wish who draws wide but kept giving behind Stripes last week and won two in a row prior.

The Jason Grimson-trained Fake Friends has been going okay from wider barriers so could be upset material from a low draw.

The two year-old filles' decider looks a battle between two young talents that have been racking up the wins but the draw has given the advantage to the Victorian Comeandsee.

She has dominated in both rounds of this series, the latest when she led and cruised home by 5.5m in her semi-final at the circuit and distance. Expect her to push forward again from barrier three and if she gets her way up front she'll be hard to catch.

Birdsong draws wide but she is already a Group 1 winner courtesy of her Gold Tiara victory and is three from three at the Menangle mile this time in. She should be peaking for this and while drawn deeper than her main rival she has won from similar barriers before.

Luke McCarthy's Don Hunter has enjoyed the ideal lead-up to the two year-old colts and geldings final, winning his two starts off a spell in good style.

He led and was too good in scoring by more than 5m last start, stretching his perfect record at the circuit and distance to five. He should be at his peak for finals night and looks the one to beat.

Disturbance just keeps improving and made it three wins on the trot when he dug deep to win his semi-final last start. He draws wider but his form is strong enough to see him in the finish again.

Boystrous led and fought well when edged out by Disturbance last time and had a good winning strike rate prior. He can give a sight from this draw as can Tuapeka Gold who has come from wider draws in each start of this campaign and managed to win a heat of this series two back.

The winners of last year's three-year-old finals are both well fancied to double up as four year-olds this year.

The ace draw gives Double Lou every chance to improve off last week's resuming second from a much wider barrier in the entires and geldings decider while last week's winner Gunna Reload is nicely drawn and in form at the right time going into the mares' final.

The program will also see grand pacer Swayzee attempt to overcome the outside barrier for back-to-back wins when he lines up in the Battle Of Beersheeba Free For All while consistent trotter Cormoran Strike cops the same barrier but will relish the return to Menangle when he lines up in the Tony and Jill McGrath Trotters Mobile.