The new season got off to a perfect start for New Zealand syndicator Matthew Corban’s Inspire Racing, whose maroon and white colours were carried to a smart win by Attractiveness in Sydney’s first race of 2026-27.
Saturday’s A$120,000 Midway Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill was the eighth career start for the Kiwi-bred Hello Youmzain mare, who had previously recorded a pair of victories at Gosford and Newcastle.
She dipped her toes into city company with a solid-finishing third at Rosehill on July 4 and fifth after getting a long way back on heavy ground on July 18, and it was third time lucky for the four-year-old on Saturday.
Attractiveness drew the inside gate in the Midway and was ridden positively in the early stages by Chad Schofield before easing back into sixth place along the rail.
Schofield was boxed in coming around the home turn and into the straight, but found a way out and presented Attractiveness on the outside of Koios, Debello and Krasina with 300m to run.
Attractiveness quickened impressively and soon rounded those rivals up, sprinting past them and going on to win by just over a length.
“She was strong late,” Will Freedman said.
“She has a good turn of foot, like you saw there, but I feel you will see a better horse again in three or four months’ time.
“I was never concerned about winning a Midway at some stage with her, I've always thought she had the ability to do that.
“But she is a late-maturer, and a lot of those Kiwi pedigrees are like that, so we are excited to see where she gets to.”
Attractiveness was bred by Helen-Gaye and Graham Bax, who offered her under their Blandford Lodge banner in Book 1 of Karaka 2024. She was bought by Inspire Racing, Matthew Corban, Richard and Will Freedman and Pinhook Bloodstock International for $120,000.
From eight starts, Attractiveness has now had three wins and two placings and has earned A$138,950. She is an exciting flagbearer for the emerging Inspire Racing operation, which was established by Corban in 2023 and also has several horses in the New Zealand stables of Allan Sharrock and Te Akau’s Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson.
Attractiveness is out of the High Chaparral mare Hot In High Heels, who herself won two races over 1400m and 2000m. Her dam Fairygem won at Listed level in Sydney and is a half-sister to the Group One winner Penny Gem.
Hot In High Heels is the dam of two winners from two foals to race, with Show Pony a winner over 1300m at Kembla Grange.
Hot In High Heels has a two-year-old filly by Bivouac and was served by Little Avondale’s Little Brose last season.
Attractiveness continued a strong run of form for Cambridge Stud stallion Hello Youmzain, whose daughter Back Of The Bus won the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki on Thursday.
In the last few weeks, Hello Youmzain has also been represented by impressive metropolitan winners Hello Captain in Sydney and Cruiserweight in Melbourne.
Incidentally, Cruiserweight was also a former Inspire Racing representative and won on debut at New Plymouth last December under his previous name Opetaia before being sold to Lindsay Park. – NZ Racing Desk.
