Miss Styarlight post-race with connections
- The versatility of the Polytrack form was to the fore on the second day of the Spring Racing Season.
- The feature race the NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes was expected by punters to go the way of BELLE DU MONDE but the Te Akau Racing filly could only manage seventh. Legendary Canterbury trainers John and Karen Parsons had produced MISS STARLIGHT twice on raceday before Saturday winning as a two-year-old in a May maiden race and again at Riccarton Park on the middle day of the Grand National Festival. Both times on the Polytrack and both time for winning runs. The unbeaten filly upstaged two other northern fillies BONA SFORZA and INTENTION and has been ridden in all three starts by Tina Comignaghi.
- Team Parson also won the last race with ON FILE a five-year-old sister to MISS STARLIGHT.
- A man carrying one of the best nicknames imaginable Riverton trainer Maurice Forde, AKA “Two Cars”, had also won with GIVEALITTLE on the Polytrack at the Grand National Festival. After that run GIVEALITTLE had two more races on the synthetic surface including on Thursday when running fifth. “Two Cars” backed his mare up two days later and she rewarded his decision winning the Canterbury Westland Racing Owners Association Rating 65 in the hands of ex Rivertonian Jack Taplin.
- The Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson partnership did not go home empty handed winning three races on the card. WAR OF SILENCE won the opening maiden, HOORAY FOR HARRY the second race and COGNITO in the NZ Horse Ambulance Winter Appeal open over 1800 metres. The six-year-old gelding gained exemption from the ballot in the New Zealand Cup by doing so. All three were ridden by stable rider Opie Bosson.