Part 3 Coffs Harbour Cup 2026
Mighty Ulysses Has His Day
Coffs Harbour gave us a Cup worthy of the journey.
The crowds have gone, the Cup has been run, and another chapter of Country Cup racing slips quietly into history.
After the history, the stories, a few beers around the TAB table at Moonee Beach Hotel and more than a little whispering from Kenny and the ladies, it finally came down to 1600 metres of racing.
And when it was over, one horse had his name on the Cup.
Mighty Ulysses.
The seven-year-old gelding, trained at Warwick Farm by Annabel and Rob Archibald, took out the 2026 Moonee Beach Hotel Coffs Harbour Cup with Heavelon Van Der Hoven in the saddle.
Behind him came Loch Eagle, trained by Kris Lees and ridden by Aaron Bullock.
And then… Kenny’s whisper. Perfect Justice.
John Sargent’s runner, ridden by Siena Grima, battled on for a terrific third.
Time Quest, trained by Matthew Smith and ridden by Ben Looker, completed the first four.
A good horse race.
A deserving winner.
And another Country Cup name for the record books.
🏆 The First Four
Mighty Ulysses
Annabel & Rob Archibald / Heavelon Van Der Hoven
Loch Eagle
Kris Lees / Aaron Bullock
Perfect Justice
John Sargent / Siena Grima
Time Quest
Matthew Smith / Ben Looker
Kenny Wasn’t Far Away
Back at Moonee Beach Hotel on Cup Eve, Kenny had closed the notebook and kept us waiting.
His whisper was Perfect Justice, third.
Not the winner, admittedly.
But close enough for Kenny to spend the next week explaining that he’d read the race perfectly.
Tommy wasn’t buying it, Finn wasn’t buying it.
Kenny didn’t particularly care.
“They can take my money…”
Tommy interrupted before he could finish.
“Yes, Kenny. We know.” 🍺
And the Ladies ?
Freja and the ladies had settled on Hollywood Hero.
He finished fifth.
Which wasn’t bad at all.
Although somewhere between Moonee Beach and the winning post, our Hollywood Hero appeared to become…
Bollywood Hero.
There was plenty of action.
Just not quite the ending the ladies had written.
Freja, however, had another engagement.
And this one didn’t involve a form guide.
From Sweden to Coffs Harbour, Freja discovers there’s more than one way to turn heads on Cup Day.
Freja’s Coffs Cup Moment
Remember that fascinator?
The one Freja disappeared to find while Kenny, Tommy and Finn remained faithfully stationed around the TAB table?
Well, it wasn’t purchased for nothing.
Race day arrived and Freja decided that if she couldn’t ride a winner at Coffs Harbour, she might as well try to look like one.
So our Swedish visitor found herself amongst the beautifully dressed women of Coffs Harbour, joining in the colour and theatre of race-day fashion.
The dresses.
The hats.
The fascinators.
The heels somehow negotiating racecourse grass.
And one rather delighted young Swede discovering that Australian Country Cup racing isn’t only about what happens on the track.
Finn watched from nearby.
He’d seen Freja dressed up before.
But perhaps not quite like this.
Kenny glanced across.
“Close your mouth, son.”
Tommy nearly spilled his beer.
And Freja?
She simply smiled.
Australia had given her another memory to take home.
Homeward Bound
Because for Finn and Freja, Coffs Harbour is also where we leave them for a little while.
They’re heading back to Europe.
And Freja can’t wait.
This week, our Around the World travels to Sweden and discovers a country where harness racing holds a very special place in the sporting culture.
For Freja, it’s familiar territory.
For Finn, it will be something quite different.
He’s spent plenty of time around thoroughbreds.
Now Freja gets the chance to show him a little of her racing world.
Somehow, we suspect Finn won’t mind being the apprentice this time. 🇸🇪🐴
Another Cup behind them, another town ahead. Tommy and Kenny point the old Cruiser north for Murwillumbah.
The Road Rolls North
And so another Country Cup chapter closes.
Forbes gave us Voracious.
Coffs Harbour gives us Mighty Ulysses.
Different towns, Different horses. Different stories.
But that’s precisely why we’re travelling this road.
Tommy folds away the race book.
Kenny’s notebook disappears back into his pocket.
Finn and Freja have a plane to catch.
And somewhere in the car park sits an old tan 1997 LandCruiser with SAINTS on the number plate.
Its nose is pointing north.
Because the Country Cups don’t wait for anybody.
Next stop: Murwillumbah.
Wednesday, 19 August.
We’ll see you up the road.
Kenny and Tommy
