Belle Du Monde claimed the first 3YO honours
- Champion jockey Opie Bosson travelled to Riccarton Park for the first day of the Spring Racing Season with punters exceptions high that he would ride multiple winners. That was not to be the case.
- Whilst stable rider Bosson went home winless the Te Akau Stable record a brace of wins. BELLE DU MONDE under Vinnie Colgan beat stable mate COOL AZA RENE in the NZ Horse Ambulance Winter Appeal Three-year-old. Andrew Carston’s pride and joy MISS ZIGGY ran third.
- Carston did train two winners with MAYBE DIVA in the opening race the maiden and good mare SAY SATONO in the Rating 75 1200 metres.
- Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson’s other winner was COGNITO with the Group 2 winner as a three-year-old returning to top form with a convincing win. Courtney Barnes was the rider with RIVIERA REBEL and STONYBRECK filling the miner placings in the 1580 metres open event.
- Colgan partnered KA YING LUCKY a visitor from Suzy Gordon’s Foxton stable to score the first of his two winners earlier in the programme. The seven-year-old outlasted THIRD DECREE to win the open sprint over 1000 metres.
- Former champion jockey now Riccarton Park trainer David Walsh was a popular winner with GRAEME JOHN taking out the second on the card under Jack Taplin.