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Trainer in no rush with quality mare
Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • September 9th, 2026 2:16 pm
Khanshe (inside) will likely kick off her preparation in the Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Hawera next month. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Marton trainer Fraser Auret is happy to play the waiting game with his multiple stakes-winning mare Khanshe.
He resisted the temptation to nominate her for any of the Group One legs of the Triple Crown series to do right by the late-blooming daughter of Mongolian Khan.
Khanshe’s last preparation was her most lucrative, with success at her last appearance in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa after previously claiming the Gr.3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) at Trentham.
“Everything is spot on with her and she had quite a long season last time, so I just didn’t want to be in a hurry to get her back and bring her up too early,” Auret said.
“To my eye, she’s certainly a more physically mature horse now, she was always a little bit fine and on the weak side.
“She’s been licking the bowl clean, her summer coat is out so it’s all looking really positive for us.”
Careful management has been rewarded to this point, with six wins on the board from 20 outings, and two runs back she finished fourth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.
Khanshe’s preparation will shortly be stepped up ahead of her return to action.
“The plan is for her to trial next Tuesday at Foxton and then assess things from there,” Auret said.
A possible kicking off point for Khanshe is the Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Hawera on October 3.
“A lot will be very dependant on the weather and how she pulls up from the trial, but I couldn’t be any happier with her, she’s just humming,” Auret said.
“At this stage, I’m comfortable just to go with the flow and the other thing that will be a bit interesting is whether she stays at the mile for a while or whether we target some of those bigger 2000m races around Christmas time.”
He was referring to the Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) on Boxing Day, the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Stakes (2000m).
“A lot will depend on what will happen in the next couple of months, but there isn’t an end goal in sight at this stage,” Auret said.
“We’re keeping everything on the table, we’ll let her come up nicely without doing too much too soon on wetter tracks.”
