She’s A Hustler to follow Queensland path of past Caulfield and Melbourne Cups champions in 2026
Grahame Begg will follow a proven recipe to producing a spring Cups champion when he heads to Queensland with She’s A Hustler next year.
The Queensland winter carnival has become a breeding ground for Cups champions over the last three years, and trainer Grahame Begg is keen to follow the trend.
The Cranbourne-based conditioner will set talented mare She’s A Hustler for a three run preparation in Queensland next year in hopes of it translating to a Caulfield Cup victory.
Zipping Classic I She's A Hustler
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 29, 2025
She's A Hustler, she's a good horse âï¸ @Grahame_Begg's mare prevails in a battle of attrition in the Zipping Classic.
📺 Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
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Without A Fight (2023 Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup), Knight’s Choice (2024 Melbourne Cup) and Half Yours (2025 Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup) all raced throughout the Queensland winter in previous seasons before etching their names in the history books.
“She’s in the paddock and she’s heading to Queensland for the winter,” Begg said.
“She’ll go to the Hollindale Stakes, Doomben Cup and then the Q22.
“Two weeks between the first two runs and then three weeks into the Q22 is the perfect time frame.
“Hopefully that will set us up for a good spring with her.”
Despite She’s A Hustler being set for a lengthy time in the spelling paddock ahead of her next race, Begg isn’t concerned about tackling 1800m first-up in the Hollindale Stakes.
“She’s a beauty in the sense that she can run first-up at 1800m,” Begg said.
“It’s no issue to get her up and going over a middle distance.
“She’s got that aerobic capacity to be able to absorb that.”
The five-year-old mare sits at $15 chance in futures markets for the Caulfield Cup on the back of her successful spring carnival which culminated in the Group 2 Zipping Classic at Sandown over Light Infantry Man.
Chris Waller mare Aeliana sits at the top of the market as a $6 chance while reigning champion Half Yours is at $8.
Originally published as She’s A Hustler to follow Queensland path of past Caulfield and Melbourne Cups champions in 2026
