Captains Mistress to race in Christian Cullen on Friday at Addington

Wonder mare Captains Mistress (Captaintreacherous) has come through her dazzling NZ Free-For-All win superbly and will back-up in Friday’s Christian Cullen at Addington.

Incredibly, victory would give her an eighth Group 1 win this season.

Captains Mistress has raced 17 times this season for 16 wins and that luckless fifth when bailed up in traffic in the Miracle Mile behind Leap To Fame on March 14.

Having been transferred from Nathan Williamson to Jason Grimson at Menangle late last year, Captains Mistress posted her first Group 1 win for 2026 in the Queen of the Pacific at Melton on February 14.

She has since added the Chariots Of Fire (March 7), Queen Elizabeth II Mile (May 2), Rising Sun (July 4), Brisbane Inter Dominion (July 18), Victoria Cup October 17) and last Friday’s NZ free-for-all.

“Grimmo (Grimson) said she’s come through last Friday and will go around again this week,” owner Mick Boots said.

“We’re always mindful of not asking too much of her, that’s why we didn’t run her in the NZ Cup.

“But she’s good to go this week and then it’s back home to get ready to go to Victoria and chase that ($1 million) bonus.”

The Bendigo Cup on January 9 will be her next race in that bonus series.

“After Victoria, she’ll be set for the Miracle Mile. That’s a race that’s eluded me and Cam (Hart) so far and we’d love to win that,” Boots said.

Some health issues kept Boots from being trackside for Captains Mistress breathtaking Addington win last Friday.

“I’ve been crook and so has my son,” he said. “I’m on the mend now, but it was a shame to miss last week.

“She’s a really special horse to me because I bought her as weanling on breeding alone through Peter Lagan and she’s turned out this good and seems to still be improving.

“I’ll have her and Palladium racing (at Addington) on Friday.”

The Brad Hewitt-trained Palladium, winner of the Queensland Derby in July, will tackle boom Kiwi three-year-old Jumal in the Group 1 NZ Derby.

Emerging Victoria pacer Luvetomeuptome, who won a lead-up race in good style at Addington last Friday, will give Australia a second Derby runner.

Back to Captains Mistress and Boots said he would keep an open mind on how long to race her.

“I’m always thinking what a great broodmare she’ll be, but she’s racing so well,” he said.

“There is no set plan, it’s just a case of keeping an eye on her and seeing if there are any signs she’s had enough.

“But the way she comes through her races is amazing. Cam (Hart) said she treated last Friday’s race like a trial.”

Boots isn’t reading too much into the 2-1 advantage Captains Mistress has over Leap To Fame.

“He raced like the Cup win took a bit out of him, but in saying that, even at his top I don’t think he’d have beaten her in a sprint race,” he said.

“I hope they meet again a few times and it’ll come down to whoever goes best on the night.

“The best thing is how much interest it creates when they do clash. It’s great for the sport.”

Boots was also proud of Swayzee’s NZ Cup Week efforts.

“He’s bit old like me now. He’s probably that little bit past his best, but he tried so hard and ran well both times,” he said.

“I’ll have a chat with Grimmo about him and see where we go. It was a battle to get him back from the tying-up issues he had earlier this year, so we might give him a good break now and see how he comes back up again.”