HOME QUALIFIER LIKELY FOR OUI OUI OUI’S PMC LAUNCH

HAWKESBURY’S opening heat of the 2026 Provincial-Midway Championships is likely to attract talented local mare Oui Oui Oui.

The Yes Yes Yes four-year-old remained unbeaten this campaign with her third win on end at Royal Randwick yesterday, boosting her already imposing record to five victories from only nine starts.

Trainer Jason Attard is yet to have a closer look at the PMC series program, but hinted last night that his home track 1400m Qualifier on February 19 appealed as a likely starting point for his mare.

“There are a couple of reasons why the Hawkesbury race looks to suit us best,” Attard said.

“Firstly, she knows her home track well (one win from two starts), and secondly if she doesn’t qualify for the Final in the opening heat, it gives us time to run in another Qualifier such as Newcastle or Kembla Grange.

“The bigger tracks suit her (Oui Oui Oui’s hat-trick this campaign has been at Newcastle and then twice at Randwick).

Attard is enjoying his best start to a season, with Oui Oui Oui contributing three of his nine winners to date.

“She is a pretty special mare,” Attard said.

“Being her fifth win yesterday, I can’t run her again leading into the Provincial-Midway Championships.

“She will have a week or so off at the farm, and do some cantering and swimming in the equine pool on the property.”

Attard confirmed Tom Sherry will continue his association with Oui Oui Oui in the PMC series.

“Tom has ridden her in seven of her nine races, and won all five races on her,” he said.

“He has formed a great association with the mare.”

Oui Oui Oui was bred by Kate Nivison (who races her under her Etak Thoroughbreds banner), and is the fifth foal of the Bernardini mare Buon Auspicio, who was retired from breeding last year.

Oui Oui Oui was offered for sale as a 2023 Inglis Classic yearling, but was passed in when she didn’t reach her $150,000 reserve.

Attard understandably is glad she wasn’t sold, and got her to train as he also prepared Oui Oui’s Oui’s older half-sister, the now retired Leandra (by Choisir), and won two races with her, both at Hawkesbury.

Leandra also was placed on nine occasions; two of them in town.

Oui Oui Oui was heavily backed yesterday to start a $2.20 favorite in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m), and never gave her supporters a moment’s concern.

A 2.5kg weight rise on her previous success in similar grade over 1200m at Randwick a fortnight earlier didn’t bother her, especially from a more favorable draw.

Oui Oui Oui quickly put the issue beyond doubt once she got into the clear in the straight, and comfortably defeated $51 chance Ahellbenda and Motoscafo ($9.50).

“She settles so well in her races that I believe she will manage 1600m,” Attard said.

“But we don’t have to worry about that yet.

“For now our focus is the Provincial-Midway Championships, with the $1m Final to be run over 1400m at Randwick in April.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, DECEMBER 27, 2025 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS