From HarnessLink (Tony Milanese, 1 November 2026)
Star filly Ark Sea (Stay Hungry) showed that she was the best filly in the event with a determined all the way harness racing win in the Group 1 $150,000 Nutrien Equine NSW Breeders Challenge Final for three year old fillies at Menangle on Saturday evening.
The pressure was on Ark Sea as she faced a task with the speedy filly Fake Friends drawn on the pole and the Queensland filly Stripes drawn next to her.
But driver Will Rixon displayed plenty of calm when as expected Fake Friends was driven out to lead. Rixon then went for the lead and the gamble paid off as he didn’t need to engage in a battle for the front. Stripes who was caught three wide at one stage was able to secure a trail when One More Reason worked around the field to race outside the leader.
Rixon held Ark Sea together as she ran her third quarter in 27.2 seconds.
One More Reason refused to give in as she stuck with Ark Sea while Stripes issued her challenge at the top of the straight. And that’s when Ark Sea showing all her class moved clear and at the finishing post she had just over 4 metres to spare over Stripes who ran for second just in advance of One More Reason who fought on for third.
For Rixon it was his fifth Group 1 success and the second leg of a worthy double. Earlier in the night, Gunna Reload (Sweet Lou) trained by Will’s father Peter led all the way to prevail in the Group 3 Nutrien Equine NSW Breeders Challenge for four year old mares. Holding the lead from pole draw, Gunna Reload was never likely to lose as she easily accounted for outsiders Blisses Best and Ultimate Diva.
