Cuddle was a champion racemare that earned the admiration of both NZ and Australian crowds

Cuddle was an outstanding New Zealand racemare that won a large number of major races, including the 1935 and 1936 Auckland Cups in race record time. She went to Australia in 1936, where she won a number of races including the Doncaster Handicap. Cuddle was a filly foaled in 1929 by the good racehorse and sire, Psychology (GB) out of the place-getter, Caress (NZ) by the famous line of Martian mares, and bred by Hastings trainer Jack Henner in 1929. She wasn't big, but strongly built, perfect for the weights that were to come her way. She was trained by C.J Stowe at Hastings for her first 16 starts in New Zealand.

She came of interest to Robert Murphy after 6 from 9 starts who purchased the horse. Her regular rider in New Zealand was Jim Ellis who he enlisted to form a powerful combination. His faith was justified when Cuddle won the 1935 New Zealand Cup, leading from the start with a determined front running tactic. Cuddle had proved her staying credentials and next on the agenda was the Auckland Cup. Again with her front running style she wowed the Auckland crowd with the topweight and ran away with the race. Four days later she won the King's Plate and completed a memorable treble with the Clifford Plate a few days later, receiving a standing ovation from the Ellerslie audience. Sadly the big weights assigned after the victories ruled her out of contention for the Wellington Cup. The scribes were already rating Cuddle among the greatest mares of New Zealand racing.

Australia beckoned  and Cuddle opened a seven race campaign with the St George Stakes in Melbourne. The local media were generous in their praise, comparing Cuddle to another legend, Desert Gold. Trainer Tommy George regularly dealt with kidney and joint problems with the horse, but this was forgotten in the Doncaster win. When she went to Australia she was ridden by expatriate New Zealanders Keith Voitre and Maurice McCarten. A massive crowd cheered on McCarten as he guided Cuddle with 9 stone 4lbs, (58kg), a record for a mare in that race until the great Sunline would be the next mare to equal the record some 65 years later. McCarten was on board again in the All-Aged Stakes win, claiming that he'd never ridden a better mare.

The success of the previous year was repeated when Cuddle rebounded from a poor spring at the Ellerslie carnival, claiming her second Auckland Cup, once again enduring herself to the gathered fans to fight of challengers and break her track record by a fifth of a second. The crowds returned in the following days to watch Cuddle repeat her treble, with the King's and Clifford Plates. She now had the incredible Ellerslie record of six wins from six starts. Ill health dogged Cuddle on her next trip to Australia, so she returned home for her eight year-old season, and one more notable win; the 1937 Canterbury Cup. Cuddle beat Royal Chief, the young Derby winner in record time. Cuddle's joints became troublesome again so she was retired to stud with 23 wins, six the equivalent of black type status today. Her Stakes winning of over £12,000 reflected the difficult economic times of the depression era, but the people loved her. Cuddle was the dam eight foals, seven raced, with six winners, including the Principal Race winners: Beau Cheval (Adelaide Cup), Gamble (Timaru Cup). Her name lives on with a prestigious race, the Cuddle Stakes held at Trentham each year, a tribute to one of New Zealand's greatest ever race mares.


RACE RECORD - 66: 23-14-5
EARNINGS - $24,264

1935 Auckland Cup, ridden by Jim Ellis.
1935 ARC King's Plate
1935 New Zealand Cup, Jim Ellis.
1935 WRC Summer Handicap
1936 All Aged Stakes, Maurice McCarten
1936 Doncaster Handicap (carrying 58 kg)

1936 Auckland Cup, Jim Ellis.
1936, 1937 ARC Clifford Plate
1936, 1937 ARC King's Plate
1936 St George Stakes, Keith Voitre.
1937 CJC Canterbury Cup

New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame
Cuddle Stakes named in her honour