Horse racing: Deja vu for Bay's hope

Jockey Shannon Doyle and Pit A Pat (No10, outside) win the the Centralines 1400m sprint at the Waiupukurau Jockey Club's Interislander Summer Festival meeting yesterday. Photo/Niki Harper

Third in 2013; third again in 2014.

It was deja vu for Hawke's Bay gelding Jakob Gambino in the Central FM New Year Mile at Waipukurau yesterday.

A close third in the equivalent of this race last year, the John Bary-trained runner came back with the same result again 12 months later. The race was taken out by Just The Tip, who turned around a disappointing run of form with a commanding two-length victory.

Just The Tip was exceptional this time last year, winning three races in a row in the summer months - a streak that culminated in a strong win at Hastings last February. But since then the Taranaki gelding's fortunes had taken a nosedive - unplaced and well beaten in all five of his subsequent starts.

It was hard to retain faith he would turn it around yesterday, especially under his top weight.

But that's what he did, and in emphatic style. Perfect Symbol was 2 lengths back second, with Jakob Gambino another length away.

Although he had to settle for third again, this was an encouraging effort from Jakob Gambino and a return to somewhere near his best after some sub-par performances lately.

But while the locals missed out in the main race, they had a brilliant time through the rest of the day.

Hawke's Bay horses won three of the first four events on the card, with Andalou, Pit A Pat and A Bridge Too Far all prevailing in thrilling finishes.

Hawke's Bay's only defeat in those first four races of the day came when Awapuni 3-year-old Stowaway pipped the Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen-trained Lamborghini by a neck in a desperate finish to the CHB Tank Cleaners Maiden 3yo.

Lamborghini, having only his fourth start, lost nothing in defeat and a crack at the New Zealand Derby is still on.