The emerging rivalry between exciting fillies Alabama Lass and Captured By Love swung back in Captured By Love’s favour with an outstanding performance in Saturday’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 52nd New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton.

What better way to send off Cup Week than a massive 11-race card at Riccarton Park this Saturday highlighted by the 161st edition of the G3 New Zealand Cup. Last year’s runner-up Nest Egg is looking to go one better in 2024 while 2022 winner Aljay returns and is sure to have his share of supporters.

Richard McKenzie and Jordan Bassett got a great sense of satisfaction at Tauherenikau on Sunday after watching Prestissimo breakthrough for her maiden win at just the second time of asking.

Te Rapa has brought the best out of Dusty Road with a career-high run of form in recent months, and owner-trainer Graeme Cameron is hoping to extend that sequence with another bold performance in Saturday’s Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m).

Stablemates Master Marko and Prince Alby will end their northern tours of duty at Trentham before their focus switches to feature events closer to home.

Promising three-year-old Whiskey ‘N Roses will aim to finish a challenging campaign on a positive note when he contests Wednesday’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Te Aroha.

Savaglee’s path to his spring grand final will take another detour this week with Pam Gerard admitting to severe frustration with the disrupted preparation.

A full breakdown of the week in Harness Racing and a preview of what's ahead across New South Wales. Analysis, discussion and plenty of laughs as Paul Cochrane, Fred Hastings and Jess Watkins are joined each week by one of the biggest names in the industry.

The breakdown of James McDonald’s 100 Group 1 wins.

Saturday’s Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) raised as many questions as it answered in terms of the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), but the one thing the Ellerslie feature proved is the star quality of Alabama Lass.

The Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) has produced all of the last six winners of the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), and Matamata trainer Ken Kelso would love to see that trend continue with his classy filly Alabama Lass.

Tony Pike will have his two talented fillies, Raziah and Archaic Smile, chasing age-group crowns within 10 minutes of each other this Saturday at Riccarton Park and Ellerslie.

So Naive hasn’t put a foot wrong in his three-year-old campaign so far, and trainers Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley are hoping his purple patch of form continues at Te Rapa on Monday.

The Gr.3 TAB Counties Cup (2100m) and Gr.3 Skycity Hamilton Waikato Cup (2400m) are looming large on the horizon for The Odyssey after a dominant win in the Elsdon Park (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.