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Live sport on SN this weekendBreslin eyeing Australia with Crouch
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • February 1st, 2026 4:15 pm
Group Three performer Crouch. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images)
Awapuni trainer Mike Breslin has plenty to mull over in the coming weeks as he hatches an autumn plan for his quality stayer Crouch.
The six-year-old gelding put in another strong effort at Trentham on Saturday to post his second successive runner-up result in the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m), and Breslin is now hungry to try and go one better in next year’s edition.
“He has gone huge again. Running second two years in a row is a good effort,” Breslin said.
“Tina (Comignaghi) has ridden him both times and when she got off the scale I said, ‘maybe next year’, so hopefully that is the case.
“He is a really sound horse, he hasn’t been overly raced. I can’t see any reason why he can’t come back next year and run in it again.”
Breslin is pleased with the way Crouch has come through the run, which has filled him with confidence as he looks to identify his next target.
“He went for a pick of grass this (Sunday) morning and has licked his bowl, which is the norm for him,” Breslin said. “He looks bright as anything, he has come through it really well.”
While disappointed not to win the Wellington Cup, Crouch’s performance has spurred Breslin to look at targets further afield, with both Auckland and Australia entering the mix.
Crouch doesn’t currently hold a nomination for the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie next month, and Breslin hasn’t ruled out making a late nomination, while Australia could beckon the son of Tarzino later in the season.
“I did have a look at the noms for it (Auckland Cup) this morning and it is not going to be too much different of a field than the Wellington Cup,” Breslin said.
“I wouldn’t rule out putting in a late nom for the Auckland Cup, I will give it some thought, but I might just look at what is in Australia for him as well.
“He has never raced right-handed so Melbourne is more likely. I will just have a look at the programmes over there and see what is available for him over winter before making a call.”
Stablemate Call A Friend fared differently in the Wellington Cup, beating just the one runner home, and Breslin said she will now head for a break before being set towards Country Cups next season.
“It was a throw at the stumps for the big syndicate that are in her and it was always going to be the last run of her preparation,” Breslin said.
“She showed us that she is best kept to 2000m or a touch more. I think she is the sort of horse that could win a nice Cup race down a level in the provinces next spring.”
Meanwhile, stablemate Donnybrook is being set for the NZ St Leger (2500m) at Trentham next month off the back of his midfield run in the Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2100m), his second-up run after 12 months off the scene.
“I thought he went super in the Trentham Stakes for the state of his fitness,” Breslin said.
“He had a bit of a failed trip to Australia, that is why he was off the scene for a long time. He never raced over there but things didn’t go well for him and we have just brought him up really quietly.
“We decided to run him in the Trentham Stakes because there was give in the track. It served its purpose and brought him up to just about full fitness, I am really happy with him.
“He is definitely going to be targeting the St Leger. We will just target a couple of runs between now and then with him.”
Breslin is also looking forward to the return of his Group Two-winning filly Intention to the trials at Foxton on Tuesday as he looks to set an autumn plan for the daughter of Bivouac.
She finished 10th on a testing track in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November, and Breslin said it has taken some time for his filly to get over the tough trip.
“Intention is going to trial on Tuesday. That will be a defining moment for her three-year-old career,” he said.
“The trip in the 2000 Guineas on the rain-affected track did knock her around a little bit. It has taken her a while to get over it.
“She did gallop super on Thursday morning but it is just a matter of what is left for her as a three-year-old, so we are going to give her a trial on Tuesday and if she trials well we may give her one or two runs before giving her a break and getting her back as a four-year-old.”
