Chase and connections post race
- Winter Cup Day took place under sensation overhead conditions. Fine and warm but on a Heavy10 track after rain in the lead-up.
- Nine-year-old CHASE headed home an all Central Districts finish in the 128th running of the Winning Edge Presentations sponsored Winter Cup. Emotional trainer Stephen Nickalls let it all out after the race in the company of his daughter who led the winner back to scale. Part owned by All Blacks legend Gary Knight CHASE was ridden by southern star Tina Comignaghi. WHO KNOWS was gallant in defeat ahead of last year’s placegetter BRADMAN and OUR JUMALA.
- The Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Koral Steeplechase provided the dress rehearsal of the following Saturday’s Grand National. Rising star JESKO reached stardom winning from CAPTAINS RUN who made a race of it in the straight and the champion WEST COAST finished third. Shaun Fannin had to change mounts from being the regular rider of WEST COAST due to being the trainer in partnership with wife Hazel of JESKO to ride the winner.
- Last year DICTATION blundered at the last gifting BERRY THE CASH the Avon City Ford Sydenham Hurdles. This year he got redemption leading most of the way to defeat the topweight. Promising QUID having his fifth hurdle race ran third. Matthew Gillies partnered the Paul Nelson / Corrina McDougal trained winner.
- Michael and Matthew Pitman combined with former employee and now Manawatu based rider Kavish Chowdhoory to win two races on the programme and Tina Comignaghi combined with the promising Kevin Myers trained CYPRESS to also win two on the day.