Ross Beckett and Donovan Cooper celebrate the success
- A well laid plan came to fruition for the local GEMMA FLITZ in the $100,000 Polytrack Championship. Cheered by a large ownership group, some of whom had travelled from Northland proudly sporting their sky-blue colours, the chestnut prevailed in the closest of finishes against the topweight and stakes winning mare TUMUCH. Ross Beckett had meticulously planned the mare’s campaign to peak on the day, and she was capably ridden to instructions by stable apprentice Donovan Cooper.
- The days other feature was the 2200 metres staying race the Haase Marshall Drainage Open. Foxton visitor HE’S A BATTLER was having his third start on the Riccarton Park Polytrack and made it two wins on the surface having previously won on Thursday 15 May for trainer Suzy Gordon and owner Roger Sugrue. The very good local galloper OCEAN LIGHT ran second.
- The Nautical Insurance Grand National Amateur Championship is a highly anticipated event each year. The John & Karen Parsons training partnership are great supporters of the Polytrack and gave employee Abhay Seesa a day he will never forget. Aboard stable runner EL ULTIMO he got the best out of the gelding to beat the Kevin Myers trained TAKE ON and the star Amateur Rider Scotty MacNab by a ½ head.
- The Parsons’ got a second win on the programme with the three-year-old MISS STARLIGHT. A three-year-old filly with much potential MISS STARLIGHT gave Tina Comignaghi trouble at the barrier, and in the runnin,g but delivered where it matters, the winning post.
- Southlander Jack Taplin now a Cambridge based apprentice jockey answered the call of fellow Rivertonian Maurice Forde, a man with the best nickname in the business “Two Cars”, to ride GIVEALITTLE. The 20/1 shot came with a wet sail from well back in the running to win the Rating 60 event.