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Live sport on SN this weekendTrav tracking towards NZ Cup
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • October 16th, 2026 4:18 pm
Trav will contest Sunday's The Steelform Roofing Group Waverley Cup (2200m) | Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Raymond Connors has fond memories of the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) and he is on a path to try and claim his third with his talented stayer Trav.
The Bulls trainer won back-to-back editions of the Riccarton feature with Blood Brotha (2011 and 2012 when ridden by James McDonald and Lisa Allpress respectively), and he is eager to get his hands back on the coveted trophy.
“I have had some luck down there and it is a good raceday,” Connors said.
Trav is proven over two miles, having won last year’s Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie before embarking on a Melbourne Cup campaign in Australia last spring, and Connors is looking forward to getting him up over the trip once more.
“It (3200m) does seem to be his pet distance, he just needs a bit to go his way on the day,” he said.
The seven-year-old son of Almanzor resumed in pleasing fashion when third in the Egmont Cup (2100m) at Hawera a fortnight ago on a Heavy8 surface.
“I didn’t think he would go so well on the wet ground, but he went better than I thought,” Connors said.
Trav will take his next step towards the Martin Collins-sponsored New Zealand Cup when he heads to Waverley on Sunday to contest The Steelform Roofing Group Waverley Cup (2200m), where he will be ridden by Sarah Macnab from barrier two.
“He seems well so hopefully he will run another good race,” Connors said.
Trav will likely have one more run before crossing the Cook Strait next month, and Connors is resisting the temptation to line him up in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2580m) on the first day of the New Zealand Cup Carnival.
“He will probably go the Feilding Cup (2100m at Otaki on October 31) after this and then into the New Zealand Cup. He won’t go to the Metrop,” Connors said.
“I would like to run in the Metrop, but I don’t think it will suit him. I think this horse seems to race a bit better fresher. I don’t think he backs up whereas Blood Brotha we took down for the Metrop and backed him up, which seemed to suit him. But this horse, I don’t think the week back-up suits him.”
All going well after the New Zealand Cup, Connors is keen to target the country’s two other two-mile features – the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham in January and Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) in March.
“It’s a big ask, but we will look at the three Cups,” Connors said. “We will just get through the New Zealand Cup, and the next logical one is the Wellington Cup, if he goes well.
