IN Racing
Banks Peninsula Raceday Review
Southern Ocean wins feature
February 19, 2021
  • The days feature was the CS Stevens Memorial Banks Peninsula Cup with a $32,500 stake.  The very promising SOUTHERN OCEAN having only its sixth start and first in open company scored win number four for local trainer Terri Rae and jockey Krishna Mudoo.
  • The open sprint was headed by the dual Telegraph Handicap winner ENZO’S LAD but the gallant topweight had to settle for second behind the speedster LIVE DRAMA.  LIVE DRAMA recorded his fifth win from only 11 starts for trainer Lance Robinson and under-rated Wingatui jockey Courtney Barnes.
  • Two-year-old races are always a highlight of any programme and the two key players from the previous juvenile race on Saturday 30 January, the gelding MACKENZIE LAD and the filly MOZZARELLA, dominated betting.  The result was the same with MOZZARELLA running out a four lengths winner from MACKLENZIE LAD who in turn was 11 lengths in front of the third horse.
  • Canterbury Jockey Club life member and major sponsor Barry Thomas CNZM is a great racing supporter, and along with Auckland and Hawkes Bay racing identity Peter Grieve bred and own ISLAND HOP (see image) who won at its third start in the Alistair Gray Memorial Maiden.  Grieve has had notable success over the years including one of the best named horses of all times BRALESS (by the stallion SHOWOFF out of the mare SNUGGLES) who won the 1977 NZ 1000 Guineas.  ISLAND HOP, who got his name when Barry won the debate to have a runner in his territory after Peter initially wanted it to race in the north, is trained at Riccarton Park by Kevin and Pam Hughes and was ridden by stable apprentice Sanu Toolooa.