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Gordon pair set to open some Foxton fizz in Christchurch
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • July 28th, 2026 3:00 pm
Trainer Suzy Gordon pictured with Prioress following her win in the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) | Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images)
Suzy Gordon struck a dream result when she quinellaed the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) at New Plymouth earlier this month with Prioress and Turn The Ace, and this weekend she is hoping the pair can replicate that result in the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 129th Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton.
The stakes quinella was a career highlight for Gordon, who was pleasantly surprised to see the pair she bought for a combined $17,000 off gavelhouse.com secure the lion’s share of the $120,000 purse.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I would have been rapt if one of them had run a placing. I was watching one of them and then I was watching the other one and after the line I had no idea that they had actually quinellaed it.”
The Foxton horsewoman has been pleased with how each horse has come through the run, and while initially intending on only targeting the Winter Cup with Turn The Ace, Prioress’ performance ensured she would make the trip south as well.
“Both of them have come through it really well,” Gordon said. “I was targeting it (Winter Cup) with Turn The Ace, not so much Prioress, but she just seems to have come through the race so well, and I thought if I am taking one I might as well take both of them down together.”
It will be the first time either horse has crossed the Cook Strait, and Gordon is particularly worried how Prioress will handle the trip given she didn’t thrive on the travel north to Tauranga last month where she finished 11th in the Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m).
“Neither of them has been down there so it will be interesting,” Gordon said. “Turn The Ace travelled a bit when he was younger but Prioress not so much. She didn’t particularly enjoy the trip up to Tauranga so I am just hoping this time around she will do a bit better.”
There is a fine forecast in Christchurch over the next couple of days before rain is set to hit on Friday and Saturday, and Gordon is hoping the current Heavy8 track conditions at Riccarton don’t deteriorate.
“I think being the mile they won’t mind a better track,” she said. “I don’t think either of them actually need a Heavy track this time around as they are both getting older and they have been going well on better tracks.”
A day prior, Gordon will be chasing another big carrot, but this time at Awapuni’s synthetic meeting where Meglio Di Falcrest will contest the Power Farming Manawatu Awapuni Synthetic Final (1400m), which has attracted just six runners despite its $60,000 purse.
“When the money is up, I can’t believe people aren’t having a go,” Gordon said. “There were definitely more than six that qualified for it.”
While disappointed in the field size, Gordon is upbeat about the chances of her mare, who has placed in her last three starts at the track.
“Stephen Gray is always hard to beat on the synthetic and the horse of Mike Breslin’s (Kereti) absolutely bolted in the other day, but she is a winning chance,” Gordon said.
Gordon will also be represented by Richard Farrell in the Prydes Easifeed Maiden 2140 and Ruji in the McMillan Equine Feeds 2140, while at Otaki on Thursday she will line-up Paradis in the Vets On Riverbank Handicap (2100m).
