Third Decree post race
- Te Akau Racing South Island dominated the second day of the Riccarton Park Autumn Racing Season with three winners on a day that featured a ten-race card and 145 starters.
- Quality filly DREAM OF THE MOON had displayed class in the spring running second in the Group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes and Listed NZ Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes. She returned in the autumn to record her first listed win with a dominant display in the NZB Airfreight Stakes. Under Englishman George Rooke who was riding in Christchurch for the first time the filly won her third race all here at Riccarton Park. CONNELLO who had run fifth in the Barneswood Farm NZ 1000 Guineas in the spring ran second for trainer Lisa Latta.
- The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson training partnership had prepared KNOWLEDGE IS POWER and STAR SHADOW to win earlier in the programme.
- The days feature was the innovation race the $350,000 TAB Southern Alps Challenge. In a thrilling finish with hard luck stories in abundance THIRD DECREE came from last to beat DAZZLING MISS and TREYBON. Last year’s inaugural winner MATSCOT sprouted wings after an interrupted home straight run for fourth with Te Akau’s ever gallant topweight PERFECT SCENARIO in fifth.
- The two-year-old race the Riccarton Park Function Centre Welcome Stakes was a milestone for Palmerston North trainer Samantha Finnegan who recorded her first winner of a fledgling career when BONA SFORZA destroyed a useful field. Carrying the Canberra Raiders rugby league team colours the filly scored a most impressive win under rider Ace Lawson-Carroll and paid $25. Favourite ZELIA ran second ahead of ALOTTAGO.
- Two good mates Tony Kelly and Ross Becket celebrated the win of JAFFA in the last, the main staying race on the programme, the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Rating 75. Beckett trains the winner at Yaldhurst with local apprentice Yogesh Atchamah the pilot.
- Back in November TIKKI was good enough to finish third in the Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes. Astutely placed by the very capable Wingatui trainer Steven Prince the five-year-old mare recorded win number 7 from 16 starts taking out the open sprint. In one of those neat quirks that can’t be planned the winning owners announced in the birdcage to the sponsors, Commodore Hotel owners Michael and Thomas Patterson, that they are regular customers on their trips to Christchurch.