EQUINICS – RACE 5 THE ROUGH HABIT SPRINT
Grade I / Group 1 | 6 Furlongs | Turf | Fillies & Mares 4YO+
Queensland – Australia
By Lindsypark
Before we get to the big race, a bit of a history lesson for those who don’t know about the horse this race was named after. Given his history, it’s great that this race is in Queensland.
Rough Habit was a New Zealand-bred bay gelding, (and claimed by the Aussies like that other Aussie superstar Phar Lap), foaled in 1986, trained by John Wheeler. He raced an unbelievable 74 times for 29 wins, accumulating approximately $3.9 million in earnings. His career stretched from three through to eight years of age and he became one of the defining horses of the Queensland winter carnival. You’d be lucky to see a sim horse run that many times these days!
His Queensland record was extraordinary. Rough Habit won the Queensland Derby in 1990, then returned to Brisbane to establish a legacy that would make him an honorary Queenslander. He won the Stradbroke Handicap twice and the Doomben Cup three consecutive times, accounting for six of his 11 Group 1 victories in Australia and New Zealand.
The 1991 Stradbroke was particularly memorable. Rough Habit produced a four-length victory in the Doomben winter carnival, and the following year he returned to win the race again, carrying 58.5kg and coming from well back in the field — a performance that the Brisbane Racing Club has described as one of the finest efforts of his career.
He wasn’t merely a Queensland specialist, either. Rough Habit won Group 1 races in New Zealand, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and he was narrowly beaten by Solvit in the 1994 Cox Plate. He eventually signed off his Australian career with victory in the P.J. O’Shea Stakes at Eagle Farm in 1995.
His affinity with Queensland became so strong that he was officially regarded as an “honorary Queenslander.” The Brisbane Racing Club later named both a bar at Eagle Farm and the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate at Doomben in his honour.
Rough Habit was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame in 2012 and remained a hugely popular figure long after retirement. He died in 2014 at the age of 28
Now to our Equinics field for 2026.
1. DANCE FOR FUN (AUS, 6F) 5/1 – Pierata x Dansili x Fappiano
Record: 27-13:0:0 | Earnings: $1,998,505 – Redhill
Dance For Fun, the number 2 ranked sprinter looks the one to beat on this current list, with 13 victories from 27 starts and almost $2 million in US earnings. The Australian-bred six-year-old out of the G3 winning mare Dance for the Cash has already won at G1 level on multiple occasions and has the experience to handle the pressure of a major sprint. She has plenty of speed in her résumé and will appreciate the six-furlong dash. With the best earnings profile in the field and proven elite-level form, she sets the benchmark. The others will have to bring their A-game to knock her off.
2. STRAWBERRY HILLS (IRE, 5F) 6/1 – Lope De Vega x Dynaformer x Nureyev
Record: 23-9:0:0 | Earnings: $1,331,590 – Teece3
Strawberry Hills is one of the most accomplished runners in this field and looks a serious danger to Dance for Fun. The five-year-old has nine wins from 23 starts and has amassed more than $1.33 million in US earnings. She comes into the race off the back of a win in the G1 Junebug, holding out the fast finishing Thirty Second Spot. That experience at the top level makes her impossible to ignore in this company. and she has the class to be right in the finish. At 6/1 she looks very capable of making the favourite work hard.
3. CHUDLEY CANNONS (AUS, 4F) 10/1 – Sepoy x Agnes Tachyon x Montjeu
Record: 9-5:0:0 | Earnings: $228,340 – Sremel101
Chudley Cannons is the lightly raced four-year-old with five wins from just nine starts. Great to see Agnes Tachyon in the dam sire slot. Trainer Sremel has progressed her through the grades, with a last start 6th in the Qld Snowy Spring over 7F. That is an eye-catching winning strike rate, and she has already captured a G3 while earning more than $228,000. The big question is whether she can translate that sharp record into Group 1 company. Her freshness having not run since July 4th could be a major asset in a six-furlong sprint, where tactical speed up front can be everything. She looks one of the more interesting improvers in the field. I expect she will go forward and give them something to chase. Don’t be surprised if she gives the favourites a big scare.
4. TETHEROW (IRE, 4F) 13/1 – No Nay Never x Zoustar x Street Cry
Record: 17-6:0:0 | Earnings: $979,680 – Veeman13
Tetherow is the obvious danger to Dance for Fun and brings G1 winning form of her own. The four-year-old has six wins from 17 starts and has banked almost $1 million in US earnings. Her G1 form is mixed, and she tends to like getting back and running on which exposes her to trouble back in the field. This has been evident in 2 of her last 3 runs at this level. Her win in the Click Click Boom Stakes over 5F suggests she is more than capable of mixing it with the best mares in this field. But is she better over that shorter trip? The younger legs could be an advantage in a sharp six-furlong contest. She’ll need to bring her best speed and get the right run, but the class is clearly there. A serious winning chance.
5. DEMAND TRIBUTE (JPN, 4F) 15/1 – Lord Kanaloa x Galileo x Red Ransom
Record: 15-6:0:0 | Earnings: $572,171 – Knowndanger
Demand Tribute is one of the more intriguing four-year-olds on the card, with six wins from only 15 starts. The Japanese-bred mare has already won a G2 and has accumulated more than $572,000 in US earnings. Although only 4yo, she is a genuine contender rather than a token Group 1 entry. The 6F distance should keep her in her comfort zone, particularly if the race is run at a searching pace. She looks capable of taking another step forward here. Will get back in the run and be charging home. A very real threat to the established stars.
6. MAMBOTARIAT (JPN, 5F) 9/1 – Nadal x Kingmambo x Secretariat
Record: 27-12:0:0 | Earnings: $607,040 – Gmorena
Mambotariat is a five-year-old mare by Nadal who excels on both turf and dirt with a very handy 12 wins from 27 starts and more than $607,000 in earnings. She has already won a G3, giving her some graded-stakes experience before tackling this tougher assignment. She is a winner who has never run second – understandably because second is the first loser. That 12-win tally demands respect and can’t be overlooked. She has enough speed and race experience to make the six-furlong trip interesting. If she gets a clean run and finds the right part of the track, she can make the leading group work hard to hold her out.
7. CROIZET (GB, 4F) 15/1 – Frankel x Zoustar x Fastnet Rock
Record: 14-4:0:0 | Earnings: $168,080 – Atwbp2
Croizet has four wins from 14 starts and has already shown enough quality to be graded/group placed. The four-year-old has also won an allowance race and has banked more than $168,000. By superstar sire Frankel, I didn’t expect to see a horse in this race with him as a sire. She doesn’t have the same depth of stakes success as the leading runners, but the graded placing shows she can be competitive against better company. The six-furlong trip should suit her, however her last start failure at G1 level only running an 81 SP probably says not here. She needs everything to go right here, but she is not without a slim place chance.
8. BRUISES (AUS, 6F) 4/1 – The Autumn Sun x Sea the Stars x Awesome Again
Record: 30-10:0:0 | Earnings: $1,153,229 – Speedkills
Bruises has been a durable and productive mare, by the Aussie stallion The Autumn Sun, with 10 wins from 30 starts and has amassed more than $1.15 million in US earnings. She has G2 winning form and has shown enough consistency to become one of the more reliable runners in this lineup. The six-year-old has plenty of race-day experience and won’t be fazed by a high-pressure Group 1 sprint. She may not have the G1 badge yet, but her earnings and G2 form winning the Coolmore over 7.5F suggest she belongs at this level. The query on her is will the 6F be too short as her best form is 7F+. With Sea the Stars in her pedigree this isn’t surprising. If the leaders overdo the early tempo, she could be ready to pounce.
9. GOLDEN ASCOT (KY, 5F) 7/1 – Golden Pal x Shamardal x Danehill
Record: 24-9:0:0 | Earnings: $494,208 – Goldrush
Golden Ascot has nine wins from 24 starts and has built a solid bankroll approaching half a million dollars. The five-year-old has already won a stakes race, although she is yet to collect a graded badge or compete at that level. She is a competitive beast, and she has enough winning experience to command respect. I love the Shamardal x Danehill cross in her backend. My very own Equinics winner many years ago was by Shamardal with Danehill Dancer as the dam. My horse won at huge odds that day, far higher than the 7/1 on offer here. Can she continue the tradition for the breeding? This is a substantial rise in class, but six furlongs should keep her right in the contest. If the established stars leave the door ajar, she might just run through it.
10. GRACE BILLETS (AUS, 4F) 19/1 – Barbaric x Makfi x Monsun
Record: 16-5:0:0 | Earnings: $181,151 – Covedowns
Grace Billets is a four-year-old Australian-bred mare by Barbaric with five wins from 16 starts. She is the equal longest priced starter at 19/1 in this field. Banking more than $181,000 and brings an allowance victory into this Group 1 assignment. She has featured previously at Stakes level against the boys in The Eric Hopers Stakes over 8.5F where she was outclassed running last. The sprint distance is likely to suit her better as she has hit the board 10 times from 14 starts over the sprint trip. This four-year-old could be one of those runners still on the improve. She will need to take a sizeable step forward, but she has enough upside to make things interesting.
11. AND THAT’S IT (AUS, 4F) 9/1 – Wootton Bassett x Storm Cat x Danzig
Record: 20-5:0:0 | Earnings: $1,701,360 – Cork1
And That’s It is a fascinating runner who brings an unusual combination of relatively modest wins and an enormous bankroll. The four-year-old has five wins from 20 starts but has earned more than $1.7 million in US dollars and already owns a G1 victory. She has also collected an End-Of-Year Award, which adds another significant line to the résumé. Hitting the board in 50 percent of her starts, she is a another who will get back and hope to be swamping them late. But with G1 class on her resume and that level of earnings, she commands plenty of respect. At 9/1, she is one of the more interesting runners outside the top few in the market.
12. KYMARI NEANNU (IRE, 4F) 19/1 – Ivawood x No Nay Never x Dansili
Record: 17-5:0:0 | Earnings: $321,930 – Nikkik05
Kymari Neannu brings five wins from 17 starts and has already proven herself at Grade/Group 3 level. The four-year-old has earned more than $321,000 and owns a solid 71 percent impact mark, which makes her a very interesting runner in this company. She still needs to bridge the gap from G3 to G1, and the question is can she turn the tables on Tetherow from their meeting in the Click Click Boom however there is enough ability on the page to suggest she can make her presence felt. The sprint distance suits her profile and should allow her to use her speed. She will also be running on and could be the one to sneak into the finish at a juicy price.
13. STRANGERCARD (CA, 5F) 12/1 – Circumference x Chosen to Fly x Sportin’ Life
Record: 28-11:0:0 | Earnings: $242,767 – jjwilder
Strangercard should possibly be called Strangerentry. A mare with plenty of experience, with 28 starts producing 11 wins and more than $242,000 in US earnings.
This five-year-old has allowance-winning form (once in her career) but has yet to secure a graded or stakes victory, with all her wins coming in claims and starer allowances thus this making this a sizeable class test. An 11-win record means she knows how to get the job done, and the six-furlong trip gives her a chance to use that experience. Another point to note, this will be her first start for the jjwilder stable after being claimed from the tcrowell yard. JJWilder has obviously seen something in her, however she’ll need to improve considerably against the Group 1 performers.
Still, sprint racing can produce surprises, and she shouldn’t be completely overlooked.
I’m thinking from this great field that the winner will come from the 1,2, 8 and 11. But Equinics are known to throw up surprises at big odds so no result will shock me in this one
Lindsypark