Action packed Sunday Manukau Group 1 heats
Peter Fenemor • January 16th, 2026 12:38 PM • 4 min read
The racing will be fast and furious during Sunday’s Manukau meeting with nine Group 1 heats being contested with leading canine athletes from throughout the country seeking valued places in the 25 January pair of Group 1 finals.
A top two finish is required from the four 527m heats to secure a final field position for the $80,000 Auckland Cup.
Contesting the first heat (Race 2) is the current New Zealand Cup title holder Original Warrior from the potent Dave Fahey and Katie Wyllie kennels.
He finished second in his only previous Manukau 527m assignment, and he brings solid current Addington 525m winning form north with him.
Let Him Cook is a perennial Group 1 finalist for his conditioners Matt Roberts and Jack Johnson and he is provided with swooping claims from his trap-eight draw.
Twisted Truth was a stylish last start Manawatu 25.68 457m C4 winner for Garry Cleeve, while the Lisa Cole prepared Lulu’s Dream will have benefited from her 527m track debut outing last Sunday.
Local interest centers on the inform Lisa and Tracey Craik trained Portland Magnum who has drawn to make his presence felt from the two-trap.
Chief Dribble holds the key to outcome of the second heat (Race 3). He won his Cup heat last year in a tidy 30.27 and he can be expected to use his staying strength to out finish his rivals for the Roberts and Johnson partnership.
Pure Precision was exactly that when she delivered her 30.82 527m track debut win last Sunday for Cole. She won that race from trap-two and she races from the same trap here.
The track debuting Opawa Postman adds the intrigue factor to this heat for the Fahey and Wyllie combination. He booked his trip north when delivering his last start meet best 25.89 457m Ascot Park clock in a C2/3 event last week.
The proven chaser Zestful resumes from a five-month spell for Cleeve and he indicated his readiness for his return via his sharp recent 21.07 Manawatu 375m trial.
His litter and kennelmate Stuck Throttle was a consistent Group 1 placegetter for Cleeve last season, and he certainly can make his presence felt for Cleeve in the third heat (Race 4).
Paw Striker has rushed through the grades via his latest Addington 525m wins for his conditioner Craig Roberts. He must break quickly from the tricky five-trap.
The Cole prepared Johnny Football didn’t receive any racing favours during his 527m race here last Sunday. He’s a dual Hatrick Group 1 520m winner who demands respect here.
Opawa Stacey tends to grow an extra paw when her trainers Sam Lozell and Georgie Clark line her up over 527m at Manukau. She holds advancement claims from her kind two-trap draw.
Fox On Fire cleared away from his rivals for Roberts and Johnson when delivering his strong pace making 31.00 Thursday C2/3 527m win. He would have benefited from that outing.
Paw Bradley won last season’s Auckland Derby here for Roberts. He returns north to contest the fourth heat (Race 5) following his solid recent pair of Addington 525m seconds to Original Warrior.
Yuki has stylishly adapted to open class racing for Cleeve as evidenced by his strong finishing last start Manawatu 25.51 457m win. He can feature during his track debut assignment here.
Fear To Tread is a Hatrick 520m Group 1 winner for Cole whose fitness level will be improved following her recent return to racing from a seasonal spell.
Schmeichel is a consistent locally prepared chaser who can use his track experience to make his presence felt for the Craik sisters.
Speed Merchants to contest 5 Railway Sprint heats
The potent Dave Fahey and Katie Wyllie training partnership hold the key to the likely outcome of the $30,000 318m Railway Sprint, lining up the top 4 TAB Futures prospects.
Leading the market is the red-hot chaser Jerry Cola, who contested last year’s Railway final. He returns to Manukau having won 12 of his last 15 races and he will be sighted contesting the final heat (Race 11).
He lines up against the talented Lisa Cole trained sprinter Criminal Minds who is on track debut.
The recent Gr. 1 295m Galaxy Sprint winner Everest Sky commences the defense of his Railway Sprint title in the second heat (Race 8).
He brings the quickest 18.14 318m time into the race and his clash with last Sunday’s Cole trained 18.61 track debut winner Blitz Attack will be a meeting highlight.
Opawa Mocha is a demon sprinter as seen by him winning 14 of his last 16 sprints with all of those wins coming from his favoured trap-eight draw, He will be sighted racing in the pink vest in the third heat (Race 9).
Sitting on the Futures fourth line is Thursday’s strong Addington 16.79 295m winner Opawa Evans. This sharp sprinter makes his track debut in the first heat (Race 7). His clash with a couple of locally trained sprinters will be a cracker.
Included is Thursday’s Ross and Lynne Udy prepared impressive 18.43 winner Hunter Lou, along with the inform Jared Udy and Denise Cottam trained Simek , plus also Portland Chica for Lisa and Tracey Craik.
Heat 4 (Race 10) features the leading northern trained sprinter Quintessential for the Craik sisters. He owns the field best 18.27 318m time.
The five Railway Sprint heat winners will be joined by the fastest three second placegetters for the Group 1 final.
