What the best highlights of the 25/26 racing season were

As the 2025/2026 racing season comes to an end, it’s time to reflect on the best highlights from the Australian season that was.

From Jamie Melham winning the Melbourne Cup to Sheza Alibi’s Doncaster Mile thrashing, David Taggart, Gareth Hall and Josh Jenkins delivered their top highlights.

See the boys’ favourite highlights from the 25/26 racing season below:

David Taggart

Jamie Melham completing the Cup double

“History in the making there, Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double,” Taggart started on SENTrack’s Odds Couple.

“She’s the first female to ride a Caulfield Cup winner and then went on to win the Melbourne Cup. They're hard races to win, and she's the first female to do it. That's just new ground.”

Sheza Alibi’s Doncaster Mile win

“The other one was the sit and steer on Sheza Alibi,” revealed Taggart.

“She's the new kid on the block. I can't wait to see her in the spring.

“Just for (Jamie Melham) and the crap she does cop, to me that was one of the highlights.”

James McDonald breaking the all-time season G1 record

“And of course J-Mac’s record-breaking 17 Group 1 winners in Australia,” exclaimed Taggart.

“He's had a big year, so that was another highlight.”

Gareth Hall

Sheza Alibi’s Doncaster Mile win

“I've got a couple, like when I decide on my highlights of the season, they're moments that I sit there, and I think I will remember where I was,” Hall started.

“Sheza Alibi in that Doncaster. Like Jamie Mellham had to get down to the weight, how good is she?

“She had no weight in this handicap mile race, she was last, you thought to yourself, ‘She can't win’, then wins.

“She had a turn of foot that was like Usain Bolt, and she won by three or four (lengths) going away. You just think wow.

“And the build-up to that race – could Autumn Glow take her on? Instead, they make the decision to go to the Queen Elizabeth, and then we think, well, she wouldn't have beat her anyway that day.

“That was one of my highlights.”

Pride Of Jenni’s Empire Rose win

“The other one, and everyone would say, ‘Oh well she's your favourite, Gareth,’ but that Empire Rose victory on Derby Day in front of 80,000 people, Flemington decked in black and white with so many younger people enjoying the races that day at Flemington,” said Hall.

“Declan Bates let Pride Of Jenni rip in that Empire Rose, and away she went. That roar at the 600m will live with me forever.”

The Inter Dominion Final

“And the Inter Dominion when Captains Mistress defeated Leap To Fame.”

Josh Jenkins

Sheza Alibi’s Doncaster Mile win

“Mine was probably the Sheza Alibi Doncaster win,” revealed Jenkins.

“I was sort of like, ‘Ok, let's see it, you are very, very good, but are you extra special? Are you once in an every five-year type of horse?’

“And she went past good horses like they were stuck to the grass.”

Tentyris’ brilliance in the Coolmore & Lightning

“The other one, and it's bittersweet because I wish we were able to see more, I loved Tentyris’ Coolmore win and his Lightning win,” continued Jenkins.

“They were two performances that you look at the people around you and think, ‘What the hell was that?’

“We see those horses get whisked off the stud because they're worried about what might happen and what value might be lost, but all that to the side, those two performances were unbelievable.”