Chicflix seeking elusive win
Joshua Smith • October 28th, 2025 2:37 PM • 3 min read
Chicflix has been knocking on the door of a maiden victory for some time and trainer Paul Mirabelli is hoping she can breakthrough for an elusive win in the Eagle Technology 2200 at Pukekohe on Wednesday.
The six-year-old daughter of Sacred Falls has placed in six of her last starts eight starts, and while Mirabelli said she has yet to fully mature, all signs are pointing towards another bold showing on Wednesday.
“She is very honest,” he said. “Even though she is a six-year-old, she is still quite weak, but she is doing well and we are just trying to get a win for her.
“She hasn’t won so far, and she has had a few starts, so we are not counting our chickens, but she has worked up quite well since her last race and she looks as good as she has ever looked, so we are hopeful.”
Later on the card, stablemate Singe will also be vying to secure her maiden win in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1600m), and Mirabelli is expecting a bright future for the filly over further ground.
“I really like her,” he said. “She is very small, but she shows a lot of heart in her gallops at home and her last race was very encouraging.
“She has so much stamina and once we get her out in distance, she is going to be very promising.”
Looking ahead to the weekend, the stable will be represented by Prometheus in the Aztech Signs 1600 at Tauranga.
The five-year-old gelding has been a model of consistency on Cambridge’s synthetic track over winter, winning one and placing in four of his five starts on the surface, including running third in the $100,000 TAB Polytrack Championship (2000m).
Mirabelli has been buoyed by his return to form, with the Cambridge trainer having faced soundness issues with Prometheus.
“We have had a lot of troubles with him, his record should be a lot better,” Mirabelli said of the three-win gelding.
“In a race at Te Rapa, he slipped and spread himself behind and we have had so much trouble after that with his muscles over his hindquarter, which plagued us for about six or seven months.
“He came right and has been perfect ever since, so I think that is behind us.”
Prometheus has been freshened ahead of his return to grass track racing this weekend, with Group targets on the horizon for the son of Ace High if he performs up to expectations.
“He is going super,” Mirabelli said. “His work on the training track has been absolutely incredible, so we are very hopeful with him. He has picked up from where he left off, so we have got bigger missions for him.
“He is looking to go to the Counties Cup (Gr.3, 2100m) next.”
Meanwhile, Mirabelli has been pleased with the way Shoma has come through his seventh-placed performance in last Saturday’s Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton, and he said he will have a gear change before a hopeful start in next month’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).
“He has come through the run really well, I am really happy with him,” Mirabelli said.
“He has over-raced in his last two starts where we had the side winkers on him, so we are going to take them off him and go back to riding him very quiet. I think he will definitely bounce back.”
The 2000 Guineas remains Shoma’s primary objective this spring, however, if he doesn’t make the field, Mirabelli is hopeful of picking up a consolation prize before heading back north.
“We are bruised, but we are not out of it,” he said. “We just need a few to drop away to get in.
“Plan B will be the three-year-old 1400m or the special conditions maiden on the middle day (of New Zealand Cup Week).” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
