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Live EPL on SN this weekendHashizume hopes for top Group One rides after Guineas success
Alastair Bull, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • November 8th, 2026 4:29 pm
Hollie Elliot and Masa Hashizume celebrate after winning the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 1000 Guineas | Photo: Race Images South.
Lack of Group One success can no longer be used as a reason against using Masa Hashizume in big races.
Hashizume broke through for his first success at the elite level with Angels Halo in the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 54th New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), getting his filly home by three-quarters of a length.
Hashizume went close a couple of times at the top level previously, recording second placings aboard Zabmanzor in the Levin Classic and on Positivity in the New Zealand Oaks, both at Trentham in 2024.
He said the fact he didn’t have a Group One to his name had counted against him in big races beforehand.
“I’ve often had a ride in a Group One, and I’m not complaining, but I’m always riding a $30-$40 shot that doesn’t get much chance of being a favourite,” Hashizume said.
“There have been times I got taken off horses because I hadn’t won a Group One and the owner wanted a Group One jockey on,” Hashizume said.
“Now, they have one less excuse to take me off.”
What should help Hashizume’s future cause is that not only did he win at Group One leven in the 1000 Guineas, he produced an outstanding ride to do it, finding a gap on the rail to provide Angels Halo with the shortest way home to the line.
“Lance O’Sullivan and Grant Cooksley, my old bosses, have always told me to be patient with my rides,” he said.
“From the draw (gate 2), I thought the only way I can win was to ride for luck and hope the gap opens. Angels Halo acts like a colt, she’s strong like a colt, and any gap, I was confident she was going to take it.”
On paper, Angels Halo fell into the category of the $30-$40 shot in a Group One race that Hashizume had historically ridden, having finished eighth finish in the Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) on October 26, but he and trainer Hollie Elliot were confident she was a good chance.
“She always jumped well but she never grabbed the bridle, she was very laid-back. I didn’t want to be using her to be holding a position, so I always ended one or two spots further back than I wanted to,” Hashizume said.
“We decided to put blinkers on so I could just take the bridle and hold on to her, and Hollie said her work with blinkers had been way, way better.
“Hollie was giving me updates every day about the horse’s gallops and her arrival in the South Island, like I was the owner. It gave me no doubts that she was ready.”
The victory was a great reward for the partnership Hashizume has developed with Elliot since he started riding for her earlier this year, a partnership which began after he rode Archaic Smile to
victory in the Listed Flying Handicap (1400m) at Trentham in March for the internationally-successful Japanese owner Masa Otani.
“Since Archaic Smile joined Hollie, her owner wanted me to ride, so Hollie contacted me. We had the success at Wellington, and since then she’s started using me a lot.
“It was great to win this race for her, and it was also great to win a big race sponsored by Barneswood Farm. They have been really good to me as well – I have had some good successes on Arabian Songbird and I was lucky enough to have a couple of rides on Desert Lightning early in his career.”
Hashizume said Angels Halo should develop further after the Guineas and was likely to be able to stay longer than Saturday’s 1600m journey. He also holds out strong hopes for the Shaun and Anna Clotworthy-trained Tarzino gelding Break The News, who is scheduled to debut at Te Aroha on Wednesday after winning two of his three trials.
“I don’t know if he’s going to run at Te Aroha because of the weather, but I think he could be a horse going for the Derby this season.”
