Captains Mistress winning the 2026 NZ FFA Photo by HRNZ/Race Images NZ
SUPERSTAR driver Cam Hart described it as his “most awesome” moment in the sulky.
Hart was aboard wonder mare Captains Mistress, who produced one of the great displays of sheer speed to blitz her champion arch-rival Leap To Fame in the Group 1 NZ free-for-all (1980) at Addington today.
What was billed as a match-race with the scoreline at 1-1 turned into a one-act affair.
Captains Mistress broke Leap To Fame’s heart down the back straight and raced away to win by almost seven lengths.
Despite gusty conditions, she smashed the NZ record time by mare by two seconds.
“That was just awesome,” Hart said. “When I stoked her up down the back, she was floating on air and felt amazing in the last 600m.
“She’s got gears and runs (fast) quarters so easily.
“Everyone forgets she is a mare against the boys, and only a four-year-old mare, too.
“The amazing thing is, she’s not even blowing after that. She’s got a big heart, big lungs and she’s just so relaxed.”
Hart appreciated the reception from the crowd after downing Leap To Fame, who has such a huge following.
“That was pretty cool, even after beating Larry (Leap To Fame). She’s from here (NZ) and started her career here, so they probably consider her one of their own,” he said.
Trainer Jason Grimson said he would assess the mare over the next few days before deciding to stay in NZ for next Friday’s Group 1 Christian Cullen.
“She’ll come first. She’s only a four-year-old mare and there are so many big races ahead for her,” he said.
Chasing Victoria’s $1 million Summer of Glory bonus is top of the tree.
Captains Mistress won the first leg in last month’s Victoria Cup, If she adds three more of the five remaining qualifying races, she will race for the bonus in the Group 1 Hunter Cup on February 13.
“That’s what we’re looking at,” Grimson said. “She’ll go to the next race at Bendigo (January 9) and we’ll work out the rest from there.”
Beyond that, Hart has his sights set on the $1 million Miracle Mile at Menangle on March 13.
“It’s a race that’s escaped me so far and she’s the perfect mare to win it,” he said. “I hope she keeps racing for another couple of years because I don’t know if I’ll ever drive another one as freakish as her.”
Leap To Fame lost no admirers despite being beaten so far, having had to back-up just three days after his epic NZ Cup win on Tuesday.
He is booked on a flight home Monday to chase the $250,000 Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park on December 5.
PHOTOS: HRNZ/Race Images NZ
