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Live sport on SN this weekendGirl Talk primed for Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • October 1st, 2026 4:36 pm
Girl Talk will contest Saturday's Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Hawera | Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images)
Rangiotu mare Girl Talk will bid to double her Group Three tally when she heads to Hawera on Saturday to contest the Grangewilliam Stud Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m).
The five-year-old daughter of Zed came of age last season when winning five of her nine starts, including the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2040m), and trainer and part-owner Stephen Nickalls believes she is capable of securing further black-type honours.
Initially targeting next week’s Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) with his mare, Nickalls adjusted his sights after a wet couple of months, and eyed Saturday’s feature as her first major target of the season.
“We were trying to get to Hastings, the Livamol was going to be the target, but it was always weather dependant,” he said. “At this time of year the weather always plays a bit of a part, and I just didn’t want to pull the guts out of her first-up.”
She impressed when finishing runner-up first-up over 1200m, a distance well short of her best, at Hastings last month, and Nickalls said she has thrived since that run.
“She was amazing first-up,” Nickalls said. “We wanted to go to 1400m first-up, but the track was bottomless at New Plymouth that day, so we pulled her out and went to Hastings instead. We always thought that 1200m would run her off her feet, but she was fantastic. She certainly surprised us over 1200m.
“She seems very happy and well, which she often is. I can’t really fault her, she has come through Hastings well, had a good gallop on Saturday and everyone that has been on her are happy with her.
“She had a nice hit out and stretch of her legs this (Thursday) morning and felt fantastic. There are no excuses on that front.”
While Nickalls said she hasn’t matured physically since last season, she has mentally.
“She certainly hasn’t grown size wise, but I think her brain has certainly improved,” he said. “She is a lot easier this year to do things with.
“I took her for a hack over the farm earlier in the week and all she wanted to do was buck and play. She has always been a little bit skittery and a little bit funny, but she has certainly improved in that aspect this year.”
Nickalls enjoys giving his horses variety in their work and said the family farm is the perfect environment to give them exactly that.
“We are in such a great spot where we are on Gary and Wendy’s (Knight, father and mother-in-law) farm, and we can go and hack on the farm or chase some cows. Jumping is obviously my love, and we have got plenty of fences to school and jump over. We go out to the beach from time to time and it just keeps the brain engaged and they just don’t get bored going around in circles.
“She lives with Chase at the moment and she is out in the paddock with him every day. They play and buck in the paddock. We are really lucky to have that variety.”
Group One performer Chase is now enjoying retirement on the farm, with Nickalls calling time on his career at the end of the last season.
“He is retired, he is heading showjumping next weekend,” Nickalls said. “He owes us nothing and he had four or five runs in and Jonathan (Riddell) rode him a couple of times and said he is trying hard.
“I hate seeing those lovely old horses just running around to run fifth and sixth, so we just made the decision (to retire him). He is happy, he is sound and he is living the life of Riley at home. He is very lucky.”
Nickalls’ daughter, Mya, has a particular affinity for the now 10-year-old gelding and has been his biggest fan throughout his 63-start career.
“Mya rides him at home,” Nickalls said. “The unfortunate thing is that she is too young to be able to compete him, she has got to wait until she is 14 before she is allowed to ride him in a show. It’s Dad’s privilege until then.
“She loves him and did everything with him. If she was allowed to, she would be out there riding him on raceday too.
“Horses like him just cement a passion for racing for life.
“He was just one of those wonderful horses that you get attached to. He is just so relaxed and laidback. We took him to Christchurch and he was on the float on his own, and he would go to the beach and he wasn’t worried.
“He’s what you would call a good person. He is wonderful horse to be around.”
The son of Zed won eight races, including the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m), and placed on a further 21 occasions, including twice at elite-level in the 2022 Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) and 2023 Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m).
“The Winter Cup was a huge thrill, but for me his third in the Captain Cook, where he was beaten less than a length by some proper Group One performers (was the highlight).
“He was always the underdog, he was never the hype horse, but the one thing is he always put in and gave 100 percent.
“We were looking back the other day, he never won a maiden race, his first win was in a rating 65. He was a pretty cool horse and the sheer joy that Gary, Wendy, Laura and I got out of him, and what he has done was huge. What he has done for our family is pretty special.”
Meanwhile, stable runner Iffigive is currently on the sidelines after injuring herself in a stable incident.
The four-year-old daughter of Contributer was a consistent performer for Nickalls last season, finishing fourth in the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) and fifth in both the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1600m) and Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2100m).
Nickalls was pleased with her progression prior to her injury and said he has now circled an autumn campaign for her return.
“She came in and won a jump out really well and we thought we were in for some excitement, but she cut her leg in a box one night and has gone out for a break now,” he said.
“She is doing everything right healing wise, but it has just put everything on the backburner, so you won’t see her until the autumn.”
