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Promising three-year-old to test Derby credentials
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk •  January 9th, 2026 2:10 pm
Loose Jewels will contest the Listed Trackside Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie on Sunday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images)
Kevin and Stephen Gray will be on a fact-finding mission when they head north to Ellerslie on Sunday.
The Palmerston North trainers will return to the Auckland track with their promising three-year-old Loose Jewels, who will give them a gauge of his Derby credentials.
The son of Turn Me Loose holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie in March, and while they believe he will stay the distance, he has yet to be tested over further than a mile in his five starts to date.
That will change this weekend when he contests the Listed Trackside Gingernuts Salver (2100m), and the Grays are looking for some redemption following his luckless unplaced run at the track last week.
“We took a few up the other day and most of them went really well, but this horse was very unlucky up the straight, we couldn’t get a run at all until it was too late,” Stephen Gray said.
“We were really rapt with the way he went because it was unknown territory.
“He shows a lot of promise. It looks a nice race for him, he has had a run around there and he has travelled home really well.
“I know he will stay, he is bred to, and he showed a lot last week. If we can get a change of luck, and he gets the distance, we can make plans then (for the Derby). If he doesn’t, we can come back to our grade.”
Closer to home on Saturday, the Grays will head to Wanganui with half a dozen runners, including four-win gelding Cosentino in the Wanganui-Taranaki Racehorse Owners Association Open 1340.
“He is well placed there,” Gray said. “He is a very promising horse and he is probably six months away from being at the high-end level. It is a good opportunity for him to get a win and then we will back off him until the autumn.”
Gray put Hello My Dear’s last start fourth placing down to trainer error, and he believes the three-year-old filly can rectify that and break through for her maiden win in the La Nuova Dry Cleaners 3YO 1200.
“I stuffed up there other day. I went from 1000m to 1400m hoping I could win the 1400m, which I thought she would and then go to the mile at Trentham,” Gray said. “However, it rained heavily and the track was off on the inside and she just got stuck the last little bit.
“I have brought her back to 1200m in her own age. She has got a lot of promise. I could have run her in the maiden, but I just felt it was good prizemoney and against her own age is still the way to go.
“She is definitely an each way chance.”
Gray is also expecting a bold showing from Cooper in the Terry Brothers 1200.
“Cooper was very unlucky at Te Rapa (last start), we just got it wrong,” Gray said. “He went back, couldn’t get cover and was wide on a frontrunners track.
“Coming back to Wanganui and back in class will be a big plus for him and he is doing well, he will be very hard to beat.”
The stable will have a two-pronged attack in the Smart Naturals 1340 courtesy of Tivaci's Affair and Tears Of Victory.
“Tivaci’s Affair was very unlucky at Wellington and could not get a run up the straight,” Gray said. “The other mare (Tears Of Victory) has dropped right back to her class and she is going to run better with blinkers on.
“They are outside chances looking to find their form.”
The stable's representation at Wanganui will be rounded out by the Milan Park-bred and raced Sloshed in the Wanganui Function Centre Maiden 1340.
“He has been a bit disappointing on the track but he has a lot of potential,” Gray said. “I would forget the last run and hopefully we will get him on a Good track and see how he goes.”
