- Popular trainer Jackie Burrows blew the punters away in the feature staying race the Waimakariri Businesses North Canterbury Cup. At $55.40 punters were lamenting “Are you serious?” when ARE YOU CEREAL defeated the favourite, Mark Walker trained, CAMPIONESSA
- Top southern jockey Jason Laking combined with Te Akau Racing to win last seasons Al Basti Equiworld Dubai NZ Oaks aboard BELLE EN ROUGE and continued the association with COGNITO in the Inglewood Stud Guineas Trial. He steered the son of SO YOU THINK through a needle eye gap between runners to score most convincing and in doing so move to a $5 second favourite for the Al Basti Equiworld NZ 2000 Guineas. The filly DISS IS DRAMATIC ran second with MALBOROUGH BAY third.
- Te Akau Racing trainer Mark Walker also won the other age group race on the programme the Nobby Bussell Memorial Two-year-old. RHETORICAL, a $270,000 yearling purchase, was too strong for locals GWYNVER and TRIKSTA, the later purchased at the Windsor Park Stud luncheon auction held at Riccarton Park in May.
- For good measure Mark Walker prepared BELLE OF THE BALL to win the last giving apprentice Joe Kamaruddin a double for the day.
- Trainer Mark Jones is usually looking towards NZ Cup Week with hobbles and sulky and Addington Raceway in mind, but this year will be very much focussing on saddle and jockey. He prepares PHELAN THE POWER a game winner of the Coupland’s Bakeries Mile Trial who is now a $26 chance in the $250,000 middle day feature at Riccarton Park. Promising northern apprentice Tayla Mitchell rode the winner.
