Connections celebrate the success of Live Drama
- After being handicapped at 60kg, 58kg and 57kg at her previous three starts LIVE DRAMA promised to be very hard to beat with 55.5kg under the set weight and penalties conditions of the Valachi Downs South Island Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes. Punters thought so also and as favourite the daughter of Ghibellines justified the support defying the field by leading the long length of the Riccarton Park straight. Local trainer Lance Robinson was delighted and stablemate AVAQUINELLA put icing on the cake running third. Kavish Chowdhoory was the winning rider. BURGIE winner of last year’s NZB Warstep Stakes split the Robinson pair.
- The Seaton family association with the Hororata racemeeting has been longstanding and the family sponsored the time honoured Hororata Gold Cup. In a fitting result Hororata Committee member Donald Arthur shares in the ownership of SECOND THOUGHT who beat the Wanganui visitor BULLY BOY to take the honours in the 1800 metres contest. Visiting northern rider Joe Kamaruddin partnered the Anna Furlong and Shane Kennedy trained son of Ghibellines.
- Don Arthur and his practice Selwyn Rakaia Vets had sponsored the three-year-old race earlier in the day. Terri Rae prepared MARYWEKA to beat a strong field of 14 runners in the hands of apprentice Lily Sutherland.
- Kamaruddin rode three winners on the programme including the Petersens Jewellers Ladies Bracelet aboard the Mark Walker trained two-year-old CU CHULAINN.
- Former trainer John Heasley and son Tom sponsored the open sprint through the produce business Johnny Fresh Darfield and Yaldhurst. Orari trainer Lionel Dodds and Riccarton rider Diego Montes de Oca combined with the game mare EMANON (Noname spelt backwards) to win from BURNVUE and SUMMER FESTIVAL.