Group Two winner Supera is nearing a return to racing.

The five-year-old mare rounded out her last preparation with a win in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) and took the next step towards resuming on raceday with an exhibition gallop between races at Matamata on Saturday.

Barbarouses off to a flyer

Affectionately known throughout Australasia as simply the "Great Race", the legacy of the Melbourne Cup and its place in thoroughbred racing is one of triumph and of tragedy, of winners, losers and a myriad of colourful characters, sights, scenes and scenarios over its sparkling 158-year history.

Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston will use Saturday’s Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton as the litmus test for Miss Federer’s Gr.1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) prospects.

The Football Ferns have been confirmed to play in an invitational tournament in China in the November international window.

Christchurch’s Dylan Thomson heads to the final round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship, the Handy Rentals Waitomo Rally, looking for a result that will secure him third in the championship.

The Spring Challenge North all-women’s event will embrace an area that has long been left unchartered by adventure races, when it takes 145 teams through the Whanganui hill country on Saturday.

Rui Andrade will join the Castrol Toyota Racing Series for the 2020 season - which begins in January - racing for reigning title holder’s M2 Competition.

Short Fuse began her preparation in the best possible fashion at the Te Rapa trials on Tuesday, winning her 880m heat by a neck.

"It was a nice trial and she did what she was asked," trainer Graham Richardson said. "She was there for an outing and that’s what she got.

The ISPS Handa Premiership will have a different look about it in the 2019 / 2020 season and that is further evidence the pathway of the competition is working.