Prince Turbo wins the Koral Steeplechase
- The first day of the 2023 Grand National Festival was dominated by Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers who prepared the winners of the first five races on the card.
- The haul included the feature hurdle race the Avon City Ford Sydenham Hurdles with topweight HAPPY STAR who ran out a convincing winner despite the impost of 70kg to beat stablemate OBRIGADO and fast finishing BERRY THE CASH.
- Champion jumps jockey Shaum Fannin was expected to make a clean sweep of the jumping races aboard WEST COAST in the Racecourse Hotel Koral Steeplechase. Fannin had earlier won the opening race, the maiden hurdle, aboard AFTERALLTHISTIME to record his 100th win for master trainer Kevin Myers. However, WEST COAST with 72kg could only mange third placing behind the Myers trained PRINCE TURBO and Jo Rathbone’s DES DE JEU.
- JUSTASKME had been the star flat performer of the winter and was expected to land some big bets in the $110,000 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup. The grand little galloper found topweight of 61kg just a bit too much to handle but finished a very game fourth. Another wonderful supporter of Riccarton Park racing, Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta, wrote her name into the record books when she prepared her fourth winner of the Group 3 mile to join Mark Oulaghan as the winningest trainer in the history of the race. BELARDO BOY bounced back from an unlucky run in the Opunake Cup to do his part in landing some good wagers for his owners in the hands of Irishman Joe Doyle. Doyle was riding at the venue for the first time. CORK came from the clouds for second and CONOR O’CEIRIN made it an all North Island first four.
- The Myers domination ensured that the North Island headed the south 6-4 in terms of races won.
- SHAUN FANNIN and TINA COMIGNAGHI each rode two winners on the programme.