Mehzebeen post race
- Rain and cold conditions opened Cup Day, but the weather improved to fine and windy but not unpleasant from about 2pm. A large crowd of 14,000 attended. Whilst short of the sellout 15,000 of recent years it was a great result given the weather forecast, weather on the morning and the student year finishing a week earlier this year.
- The time-honoured Martin Collins sponsored New Zealand Cup was a tremendous betting race as was evident from a $3.20 favourite, BEAVERTOWN BOY, and total betting increasing $166,000 on last year to $1,368,000. MEHZEBEEN had been too good for BEAVERTOWN BOY in the first day’s Metropolitan Trophy and the result was the same in the Cup. CANHEROC finished third followed by JUST CHARLIE and NOBLE KNIGHT. Craig Grylls regained the ride after being unable to make the weight on the first day and the win gave the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson combination their sixth win of the three-day carnival.
- Four races earlier the stable had produced the ever-consistent filly CATPURED BY LOVE to Group 1 glory in the Barneswood Farm NZ 1000 Guineas. Australian Jockey Joshua Parr travelled across the Tasman for the occasion. Favourite ALABAMA LASS filled the runner-up position ahead of the strong finishing MOVIN OUT and LOVE POEM who had backed up from a second placing in the Alk Basti Equiworld Dubai NZ 2000 Guineas.
- The Riccarton Park father son partnership of Michael and Matthew Pitman rarely fail to produce something at the NZ Cup Meeting. This year their very good sprinter MYSTIC PARK carried top-weight and Sam Weatherley to win the Lindauer Stewards Stakes. First day winner ILLICIT DREAMS appeared to have the race until the emergence of MYSTIC PARK and BELLUCCI who had won a lower grade race on the first day ran third.