Sports · Other Sports · 40 mins ago
Coal Crusher seeks a third Hunter win in likely final race
Coal Crusher is set to run in The Hunter at Newcastle on Saturday, in what part-owner Brave Pride expects will be the nine-year-old horse’s final race.
The Hunter is a $1 million race, and Coal Crusher is the only horse to have won it twice, in 2023 and last year.
He also won the race’s consolation event in 2022, and the Hunter wins account for almost half of his $2.85 million in prize money.
His recent form has been poor, including finishes well behind the winners in his last two starts.
Pride says those results may not show the horse at his best, pointing to difficult race conditions and saying Coal Crusher is in good shape at home.
He believes a slower pace and blinkers could help the horse lead the race, but said Coal Crusher is not performing as well as last year.
A third Hunter win would be a fitting farewell before the horse moves on to the next stage of his life.
Nine-year-old Coal Crusher is seeking a third win in The Hunter at Newcastle on Saturday, in what is likely to be his final race.
The gelding is the only horse to have won the $1 million race twice, taking the title in 2023 and again last year.
Trainer Joe Pride’s son and part-owner, Brave Pride, said Coal Crusher’s recent form was poor but could be misleading.
Coal Crusher has finished well behind the winner in his past two starts and was a $23 TAB outsider for Saturday’s race.
- Who
- Coal Crusher, a nine-year-old gelding trained by Joe Pride.
- What
- He is seeking a third win in The Hunter, which is likely to be his final race.
- When
- Saturday, November 14, 2026.
- Where
- Newcastle, Australia.
- Why
- Brave Pride said the horse was nearing the end of his racing career, but could still run well in a race where he has excelled.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Coal Crusher won The Hunter consolation race.
Coal Crusher won The Hunter with a front-running effort.
Coal Crusher finished third in The Hunter.
Coal Crusher won The Hunter again, becoming the only horse to win the race twice.
Brave Pride said The Hunter on Saturday was likely to be Coal Crusher’s last run.
- Age
- Nine years old
- The Hunter wins
- Two, in 2023 and 2025
- Prize money
- $2.85 million
- Saturday’s odds
- $23 TAB outsider
- Recent results
- Finished 14 lengths off the winner in each of his past two starts
What people are saying
It would be a nice to get a third Hunter, then they should name the consolation race the Coal Crusher
We’ve had better horses but not too many more memorable than him. He’s pretty awesome. He means a lot to us and this is his race every year.
He’s the healthiest horse in the stable, but I think he’s probably ready for the next chapter in his life.
If he can bully them, you could see a drastic form change.