Burn To Shine post-race presentation.
- The fourth day of the Spring Racing Festival provided several quality dress rehearsals for the upcoming New Zealand Cup Meeting.
- The feature event was the Inglewood Stud sponsored War Decree Stakes for the three-year-olds. In a thrilling finish the Stephen Marsh trained, The Oaks Stud owned, BURN TO SHINE prevailed from TROBRIAND and LANTERN WAY. Johnathan Parkes rode the winner. All three horses are now likely to head to the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai NZ 2000 Guineas.
- Fittingly on the day War Decree sired three winners with SUGAR (Race 1), SPARTAN (Race 3) and TURF RULER (Race 10) all saluting the judge.
- Denby-Rose Tait rode the fifth winner of her burgeoning when she guided last years Gore Guineas winner GOLDIE’S CHANCE home in Rating 75 event over 1400 metres. The mare is trained by Tait’s employer, Yaldhurst based, Ross Beckett.
- In another Cup Meeting dress rehearsal, the Coupland’s Bakeries Mile Trial, Te Akau trained IT’S BUSINESS TIME cemented her favouritism for the feature race on the middle day of the Cup Meeting holding off the hugely promising Karen Parsons owned WATCH OUT. Proven Group performer LIGHTNING JACK ran a good Coupland’s Bakeries Mile trial for third.
- Locally trained MATSCOT gave his trainer Sharon Robertson a welcomed lift after recent ill health with a stunning win from last in the Sothy’s Spring Classic. Ridden by Courtenay Barnes the six-year-old may now drop back form the 2000 metres distance to 1600 metre sin the Coupland’s Bakeries Mile.