Ninja Claims Group 2 Hobartville Stakes, Maintains Undefeated Rosehill Record

Ninja, a progressive 3-year-old Farnan gelding trained by Michael Freedman and ridden by Tommy Berry, dominated the Group 2 Kia Ora Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday, 21 February 2026, in a performance that pushed him into Randwick Guineas calculations. The Hobartville carries $400,000 in prize money and Ninja started the race at $2.70 as the favourite; connections and bookmakers have since elevated him into early Guineas markets for the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m, $1 million) scheduled for 7 March.

Berry positioned Ninja behind leader Shangri La Boy and executed a patient ride before angling into the straight. “It was just a plan to get him into a nice rhythm,” Berry said, and when asked to quicken he delivered: “He’s one of those horses where you have to let him find a spot, and then he’ll come back to you. If you have drag him back and fight him, you’ll be in a fight for a long way.” Ninja surged to the front in the straight, drew clear and finished ahead of Napoleonic (ridden by Zac Lloyd) and Autumn Boy (ridden by James McDonald), with Attica and Adam Hyeronimus rounding out the top four. Official margin figures vary by report - 1.43 lengths to Napoleonic is recorded in some accounts, while another report cited 1½ lengths with a short half-head separating second and third.

Trainer Michael Freedman hailed the return to form after a brief spell following a luckless run at the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas on the Gold Coast. “Good to see him come back and do that,” Freedman said, adding, “The Magic Millions Guineas was a disappointment, but I was more interested in how he was going to measure up against the really good three-year-olds down here. Job done.” Freedman also suggested the Randwick Guineas is a logical next target: “It wouldn’t bother me at all putting him out because I think he’s an exciting horse for the future, but if he pulls up well, against his own age group, why wouldn’t you (go to the Guineas)?”

Napoleonic jockey Zac Lloyd reflected on his run: “Has gone very well. Had to get around a slower horse around the bend and that has probably told a bit late.” James McDonald on Autumn Boy said, “Just got too far back which hasn’t helped but run was good,” while Adam Hyeronimus called Attica’s return “very exciting. Has come back really well.”

Two hours earlier Sheza Alibi had returned with a convincing Group 2 Armanasco Stakes victory at Caulfield, setting up a likely Guineas showdown between the filly and Ninja; no filly has won the Randwick Guineas since Mosheen in 2012. Market moves after Rosehill listed Ninja at $3 for the Guineas with Sheza Alibi at $3.80 and Autumn Boy at $4.60, and Hobartville place prices included Napoleonic near $4.40 in some listings.

Ninja’s status as a Farnan gelding focuses the commercial return on prize money and race performance rather than future stud value, and his undefeated Rosehill record enhances his appeal to punters and owners ahead of the March 7 Guineas test. With photos credited to Bradley Photographers and race clips circulating on social platforms, the performance provides a clear narrative and named actors - Tommy Berry, Michael Freedman, Sheza Alibi - that converts passive interest into headline debate as the three-year-old division moves toward Randwick.