Hope bullish with Habibti Pat
Garrick Knight - Raceform • September 18th, 2025 3:30 PM • 5 min read
It’s fair to say there is an air of confidence in the camp ahead of Habibti Pat’s resumption at Addington on Friday night.
The classy three-year-old trotting filly has a couple of big targets coming up, but she’ll open her new campaign as favourite in the Gr. 2 Macca Lodge NZ Sires Stakes 3YO Classique.
“This may seem like a bit of a bold statement, but I think she’s the best filly in the country,” Hope told RaceForm. “I’m pretty sure she can beat this field on Friday night with any sort of luck.”
Hope accepts her autumn campaign in Auckland “didn’t go to plan” despite running third in both the Gr. 1 Northern Trotting Derby and the Gr. 3 Northern Trotting Oaks.
“She never really settled in that well, being her first trip away and a young filly. It can happen – it’ not unusual – but she did show her true worth in the Derby, which I thought was a standout run behind Meant To Be.
“We pre-race warmed her before the Oaks and she got a little tied up, unfortunately, so to run third was not a bad effort.”
Habibti Pat has had two trials to prepare for this week’s resumption and the second was a very impressive win at Rangiora last Wednesday.
“The first was a really quiet trial at Methven for me, and then Blair (Orange) drove her at Rangiora and was really happy with her, saying she’s ready to go.”
Hope confirmed the $500,000 Ascent slot race on Show Day in November was firmly on the filly’s radar with her owners having purchased their own slot.
Also on Friday night, newcomer Ya Eejit Ya makes his Canterbury debut (Race 9) for Hope and his father Greg after being sent south by his Cambridge owner-trainer Sean McCaffrey.
“Sean’s on holiday overseas and with a few targets coming up for him down here, he felt it was best to send him down to us. I only know what I’ve seen on replays, which show him to be a progressive type.
“He hasn’t been here long, but I watched him work down the beach and he’s got a lovely way of going and certainly looks like he’s got a bit of speed.”
Hope noted that the horse had come in for early support with bookies, shifting from $8 to $4.40 within 24 hours of markets opening.
The other interesting runner for the stable is blueblood filly Odina, a half-sister to stable star Muscle Mountain, and who is fresh up for nearly 10 months.
She had a couple of trials in the autumn but didn’t race, and in that same trial won by Habibti Pat last week, she galloped down the straight.
“We wanted to give her a big spell to strengthen up, but because she’s paddock mates with Habibit Pat, she came in for a short preparation in the autumn before the other filly went to Auckland.
“Her last trial didn’t go well – she’s quite narrow in front and tapped her knee. I don’t think it will be a major going forward once she strengthens up, but at this stage she will need to be taken on trust.”
Freya and Love Walked In round out the stable’s runners on Friday night and Hope gave both mares place chances from awkward draws behind the mobile.
Sunday will see them take eight horses to the grass track at Motukarara and one horse stands head and shoulders above the rest in Hope’s eyes.
Mr Love will be out to defend his title from last year in the Gr. 3 Elite Stride DG Jones Bank Peninsula Trotters Cup.
“You’ve got to respect Oscar Bonavena, who looks to have come back in very good form, but we are very happy with our guy, and we think he’ll be a great chance.”
