Mega Maiden Success Caps Big Weekend for Wexford Stables

New Zealand Oaks-winning trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott capped a rewarding weekend with a bonus-boosted victory by Ruby Rush (NZ) (Ribchester) in the $18,500 Dickie Direct NZ (NZB Mega Maiden) at Taupo on Sunday.

Less than 24 hours after capturing the $1m Group One Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand Oaks (2400m) with standout staying filly Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park), O’Sullivan and Scott teamed up with jockey Joe Doyle for further success with Ruby Rush in Sunday’s NZB Mega Maiden Series event.

Ruby Rush was bought by Bruce Perry Bloodstock for just $25,000 from Book 2 of Haunui Farm's Karaka 2024. She has now had four starts for a win, a placing and $13,355 in stakes – an amount that grows significantly with the addition of Sunday’s $25,000 Mega Maiden bonus, of which $20,000 goes to the owners and $5,000 to O’Sullivan and Scott.

Doyle gave Ruby Rush an ideal run in Sunday’s race, settling in fourth and getting a cosy trail behind the front-runners Pinky Pie (Dundeel) and Wanganella (NZ) (Ribchester).

Wanganella took command with a kick at the top of the straight, later joined by the strong-finishing Dorothea (NZ) (Proisir), but Doyle brought Ruby Rush with an irresistible run over the top of them to edge them out by a head and a short neck. All of that trio were eligible for the NZB Mega Maiden bonus.

“Rounding out the weekend on a winning note, Ruby Rush got up for the Racing Queens syndicate today at Taupo,” Wexford Stables said on Facebook. “A big congratulations to her group of owners, managed by Becca Perry. Ruby was ridden by Joe Doyle, fresh off that Group One glory!”

The NZB Mega Maiden Series is an exciting initiative by NZB and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, generously supported by Entain. It sees $1m in bonuses up for grabs across 40 non-Saturday maiden races throughout New Zealand each season.

Ruby Rush became the ninth horse to strike a Mega Maiden bonus in the 2025-26 season. She was the second in less than a week, following on from Aishiteru (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) at Riccarton on Wednesday.

The next race in the NZB Mega Maiden Series is the $25,000 NZB Mega Maiden Series (1600m) at Trentham next Sunday.