18 May 2026
Nothing But Heart: Gaylord Defies the Mud at Port Macquarie
Carrying a massive 65kg top weight on a bottomless Heavy 9 track, our homebred gelding refused to quit, proving the depth of grit bred into our horses.
A bottomless track and a massive weight strip are usually a recipe for an easy excuse in racing. But on Monday at Port Macquarie, our homebred gelding Gaylord (Charm Spirit x Ysabelle) proved that a tough foundation can overcome the worst conditions.
Lining up in testing conditions on a Heavy 9, Gaylord was asked to carry the dynamic top weight of 65kg. Trainer Matt Dunn didn’t mince words after the race, describing the surface as completely bottomless—a track style that simply doesn't suit Gaylord's natural action.
Despite hating the mud underfoot and giving away a significant 3.5kg to the eventual winner, Gaylord refused to capitulate. While the winner found the better part of the track out wide, Gaylord put in a deeply gallant performance to chase him home for a hard-fought second.
Matt Dunn was incredibly pleased with the effort, noting that it took an immense amount of sheer heart to run that well under those conditions.
For us back home in Ohaupo, performance under pressure is everything. Gaylord's gritty display continues a proud stable record of producing honest, highly competitive racehorses that give their owners everything, no matter what face the elements put up.
Want to read more?
Official Race Video Replay: Watch the full race replay and video analysis of Race 7 at Port Macquarie via the Racing NSW Official Race Registry.