Irish Girl claims another feature

• Ruakaka mare IRISH GIRL (image) made it back-to-back Riccarton Park features prevailing by a narrow margin in the Avon City Ford Easter Cup.  That win came on top of the Valachi Downs South Island Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes on the first day of the Autumn Racing Season.  Terry Moseley again partnered the Ken Rae and Krystal Williams-Tuhoro trained five-year-old.  BENEFICIAL flew home from a long last in the running to grab second ahead of the pacemaker SERIOUSLY.
• REPUTABELLE cemented her place as the souths leading three-year-old filly with a decisive win in the NZB Insurance Stakes. She beat Marton visitor UNUSUAL COUNTESS and Cambridge trained DIVINE SAVA. Tina Comignaghi rode the Matthew and Michael Pitman trained filly.  With 14 points REPUTABELLE has an unassailable lead in the NZB Southern Filly of the Year with the final race in the series, the NZ Bloodstock Warstep Stakes, to be held on Saturday 23 April.
• SHE’S RECOMMENDED backed up from winning at Ashburton on Wednesday to win again in the 1600 metres PGG Wrightson Seeds Rating 65. The Ross Beckett trained mare lead throughout in the hands of BB Hong. The win was much to the delight of the syndicate which includes Canterbury Jockey Club Board member Jeff McCall, Business Services Manager Gareth Murfitt, Builder David Lucas and Chief Executive Tim Mills.
• Jockey Sam Wynne was quickly back in the winners frame after her COVID-19 enforced layoff.  She took one ride at Ashburton on Thursday and rode a winner on HES READY, her first ride on Saturday, in the BetaVet Rating 65.
• Matthew and Michael Pitman took training honours with three wins whilst Tina Comignaghi had the same number to be leading rider.