Canterbury trainers feature at the Manukau Stadium
Peter Fenemor • January 14th, 2026 12:48 PM • 4 min read
The Southern assault on the Auckland Cup carnival commences during tomorrow afternoon’s Auckland meeting at the Manukau Stadium.
The inform Canterbury conditioners Matt Roberts & Jack Johnson, who have prepared 96 winners for the current season, are lining up five greyhounds on Thursday during a three-meeting campaign, culminating at the 25 January premier Auckland Cup meeting.
Spearheading their team are the open class sprinters Smoking Ivan and Bubbles Tonight who contests the Sportsbowl Function Centre Sprint (Race 8).
Sunday’s 318m Gr. 1 Railway Sprint heat contender Smoking Ivan is bringing sound Ascot Park 390m and Addington 295m form north with him and a solid 318m sprint is likely from his handy trap-two draw.
“He has been unlucky at Manukau before. He has been in good form all season and he’s a great chance providing he holds the rail. We expect the sprint will set him up nicely for Sunday,” said Johnson.
Bubbles Tonight is making her track debut outing from the tricky five-trap. She owns early pace which is an asset which she must use.
“We gave her a 295m trial on Monday where she went good. She is making her track debut, and her main target is for her to make the Silver Bracelet Trophy (318m) field on Cup day,” advised Johnson.
The training partners are represented by two track debuting contenders in the Mt. Wellington TAB Stakes (Race 3) and both of them hold Auckland Cup heat acceptances for Sunday.
Adobe Ego gamely stuck to his task when delivering his last start Addington 525m third, while the promising stayer Fox On Fire is likely to be sighted finishing strongly in this 527m event.
“We belatedly decided to put both of them into the Cup heats, therefore we’re treating this race as a track trial for them,” explained Johnson.
“On raw ability Fox On Fire will be hard to beat on Thursday, providing he cops the track all right. The inside draw will help Adobe Ego as he won’t leave the rail.”
The locally owned Wave Rider will contest the Buddy Boom Sprint Heat 1 (Race 4). She displayed box speed in her latest Addington 295m sprint.
“She has recently come back from a spell and she’s a likely improver following her Monday 295m trial. Hopefully, she runs top four on Thursday, which will qualify her for the feature final on Cup day,” indicated Johnson.
Johnson will be basing himself at the Peter Ferguson Cambridge located kennels during his northern campaign.
Moving onto Sunday’s high class racing action sees Roberts and Johnson lining up a runner in all four 527m heats for the $80,000 Auckland Cup.
Let Him Cook consistently makes Group 1 final fields, and he returns to Manukau following his solid Hatrick 520m last start second to last Sunday’s 527m winner Pure Precision to contest the first heat (Race 2).
“The eight trap is a nice draw for him. He is on the fresh side however a couple of recent trials has him ready for this task,” confirmed Johnson.
The outstanding stayer Chief Dribble takes his place in the second heat (Race 3), and he owns the field best 30.27 winning 527m time which he posted when winning his Auckland Cup heat last year.
“I’m happy with his draw (4) from where he should get a nice sit behind the two and three runners. If doing so he should prove too strong for them,” suggested Johnson.
The third heat (Race 4) and fourth heat (Race 5) features the previously mentioned Fox On Fire and Adobe Ego.
The only Railway Sprint heat contender that Roberts and Johnson will be lining up is Smoking Ivan (Race 11).
Check back here later in the week for an in-depth preview of the Auckland Cup and Railway Sprint heats, which features the reigning the Dave Fahey and Katie Wyllie mentored New Zealand Cup title holder Original Warrior, along with kennelmate the recent Galaxy Sprint winner Everest Sky who is defending his Railway Sprint title.
