Alderson’s big leap with Jigsaw in New Zealand Group 1 race
Away from home, Cranbourne trainer rolls the dice with 7YO galloper in Railway Stakes
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The Cindy Alderson-trained seven-year-old Jigsaw (Logan Bates) landing the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1,200m) at Moonee Valley on Oct 25.
PHOTO: RACING PHOTOS
AUCKLAND – Jigsaw’s winning form in late 2025 has inspired Cranbourne-based trainer Cindy Alderson to take a big step towards notching her first win at the highest level.
She will send the son of Manhattan Rain to take on the NZ$700,000 (S$520,000) Group 1 Railway Stakes (1,200m) at Ellerslie on Jan 24.
Alderson – who trained in partnership with her father Colin before 2016 – will be staking a milestone moment with her first runner outside Australia, so the decision to travel the seven-year-old gelding was not made lightly.
As opportunity knocks in New Zealand, Alderson is hopeful that Jigsaw can build on his three wins from his past three starts, with the latest triumph coming in the A$1 million (S$861,000) The Meteorite (1,200m) at her home track on Nov 22.
Given her 12-time winner’s best runs were often seen on firmer going, and the weather at Ellerslie is expected to ease off come race day, Alderson is cautiously optimistic.
“There has been a lot of rain,” she said.
“He travelled really well and lost about seven kilos on the trip over, but he probably had that to spare as he had put a little bit on after The Meteorite.
“He is bright and happy and he worked really nicely at Ellerslie on Tuesday morning.”
Alderson shared that Jigsaw’s good form towards the end of 2025 inspired the New Zealand target, and also as an opportunity for the horse to strike a Group 1 win.
He scored in the Apache Cat Classic (1,200m) at Cranbourne on Oct 10, and followed up with another victory in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1,200m) at Moonee Valley two weeks later, before claiming The Meteorite at his last start.
“We had a fabulous run and after he won the McEwen Stakes in October, I had this race earmarked for him as it put him back up in the weight scale,” she said.
“After winning The Meteorite, we were even more confident and positive to give it a go.”
Jigsaw will be ridden by regular partner Logan Bates, who has also yet to notch a Group 1 success himself.
Bates, who made his riding debut in Victoria in 2023, rode two winners at Flemington on Jan 17, and also rode a winning double on his only other trip to New Zealand in November 2025. RACING AND SPORTS
