After settling back second last in the early running jockey Johnathan Parkes sent Mohaka forward coming to the home turn. She was one of the widest runners turning into the home straight and maintained a strong finish down the outside of the track to win well.
Although it was only her second success Mohaka has also recorded 10 minor placings from her 16 starts, including a second in the Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton and thirds in the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1340m) at Wanganui and the Listed Zacinto Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton.
She was bred by Guy Lowry's Taupo-based father Pat, who races the mare in partnership with two other Taupo people, Len Vickers and Lissie Hobson, as well as Hawke's Bay couple Fred and Juliet Coates.
Mohaka is out of the No Excuse Needed mare Diplomacy, who was the winner of four races.
Yossarian back in form
Waipukurau couple Penny and Tony Ebbett's decision to back Yossarian up five days after he produced only a mediocre performance on the first day of the Bostock New Zealand spring carnival proved to be exactly the right call.
The Rip Van Winkle five-year-old turned his form around in no uncertain terms when scoring an impressive 2-1/4 length win in a Rating 65 race over 1600m at Woodville on Thursday of last week.
Yossarian managed only eighth out of 13 in a Rating 65 race over 1400m at Hastings on September 19 but that was his first start for a month and was on a much firmer track than he had been used to in recent months.
"He blew a fair bit after that Hastings race and drank two buckets of water after it so we knew he was a bit underdone," Tony Ebbett said.
"That's why we thought we would back him up at Woodville five days later.
"We didn't know whether he would go on the heavy-10 track there but he seemed to get through it okay."
The Ebbett's engaged in-form New Plymouth apprentice Hazel Schofer to ride Yossarian at Woodville and the talented rider handled the gelding to perfection.
Drawing the number one barrier was not seen as advantage, on such a heavy track, but Schofer jumped the horse out quickly to have him in a trailing position behind the leaders until just before the home turn where she angled out to the middle of the course to mount a run.
Yossarian hit the front inside the final 300 metres and surged clear over the final stages, with Schofer just riding him hands and heels, to go on for an easy win.
The fact that Yossarian was so strong at the end of 1600m gives the Ebbett's some confidence that the horse will also perform well over a slightly longer distance.
"Hazel said he should get at least 2000 metres so we might look at stepping him up to 2100 next start," Ebbett added.
That race will be in the opening event at today's Hawke's Bay meeting, a Rating 65 race over 2100m where he has drawn barrier six and will again be ridden by Hazel Schofer.
The Ebbetts lease Yossarian from the horse's Hawke's Bay breeders John and Colleen Duncan.
He was recording his third win from 20 starts, after Hastings trainer Lee Somervell prepared him to win two races last season.
The Duncans raced Yossarian and a half-brother, Stradivarius, from the Somervell stable back then but have since decided to lease both horses out, with Stradivarius now trained in the South Island.
"He (Yossarian) is bred to be a very good horse," Tony Ebbett said. "He's a half-brother to a Group 1 winner and by a top sire."
Yossarian is out of the Kaapstad mare Kapsjoy, who is now deceased but was a hugely successful broodmare, producing six foals to race and all of them winners.
She was the dam of Fleur de Lune, whose six wins included the 2013 Group 1 Railway Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie while she also produced Kapsboy (six wins), Saragarhi (four wins), Stradivarius (four wins) and Anna Kaye (one win).
Normal raceday at Hastings
Today's second day of the Bostock New Zealand spring carnival will run under level 1 meaning there will be no restrictions.
The general public will be able to attend the meeting, as well as club members, owners and raceday sponsors.
The will be a 10-race programme, with the first timed for 12.20pm and the last at 5.35pm. The gates will open at 11am.
There will be a $10 admission charge and a charge of $30 for the members stand.
The main race will be the Group 1 $200,000 Windsor Park Plate (1600m), the second leg of the Hawke's Bay weight-for-age triple crown, while the other feature event will be the Group 2 $100,000 Dundeel at Arrowfield Hawke's Bay Guineas (1400m) for three-year-olds.
Jennifer ready to sparkle again
Quality mare Jennifer Eccles has pleased her trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray ahead of today's Group 1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings.
The popular galloper, a runaway four-length winner of the Group 2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings in February, has never finished worse than fourth in her 12 career starts and caught the eye when finishing strongly for that placing when resuming in the Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) a fortnight ago.
Rated a $9 fourth favourite for the Windsor Park Plate behind Avantage, Melody Belle and Two Illicit, Jennifer Eccles has drawn well at barrier three and will once again be partnered by jockey Matt Cameron.
"She is doing very well," Shaune Ritchie said.
"The number one barrier draw gave us the benefit of the most economical run in the Tarzino and because she only got galloping room 250m out, she certainly didn't have a tough run.
"She will go into this next one a little bit of an improved horse with that run under her belt.
"Matt Cameron was impressed with the run. She was very willing and travelled keenly. When he asked her to go 250m out she took a 100m to get going but we aren't racing against 3-year-old fillies anymore, we're in the big time."
Ritchie said last season's New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year was on the way up and he was looking forward to getting the daughter of Rip Van Winkle to a mile and beyond.
More success for Ormsby
Waipukurau's Michael Ormsby must rate as one of the most loyal members of Te Akau Racing syndicates.
Ormsby, who is treasurer of the Waipukurau Jockey Club, has taken up small shares in several syndicates run under the Te Akau banner and is enjoying plenty of success.
He is a member of the Te Akau Avantage Syndicate that races the four-time Group 1 winner Avantage and has also picked up a treble of wins recently from his involvement with three other syndicates.
Fashion Street won at Te Rapa on September 17 while Entriviere and Super Cid were successful at Matamata on Wednesday of last week.
HB-trained Dez sidelined
Hawke's Bay-trained black type winner Dez unfortunately suffered a bleeding attack when finishing fifth in last month's Group 3 Winter Cup at Riccarton which has resulted in a mandatory three month stand down from racing.
The horse's Waipukurau trainer and part-owner Simon Wilson, while obviously disappointed to have temporarily lost the services of the 9-year-old, said he may look at bringing the horse back into work next year.
Dez is very lightly raced, having had only 23 starts for seven wins, two seconds and five thirds. His victories include last year's Group 3 $100,000 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton.
Milestones for women jockeys
Two of the country's top women jockeys have reached personal milestones in the past fortnight.
Danielle Johnson, who currently leads the national jockeys' premiership, brought up her 900th New Zealand win when successful aboard Entriviere in a maiden race at Matamata on September 23 and has taken a clear lead over second-placed Craig Grylls in the premiership race.
Samantha Collett, who is third in the premiership, brought up her 800th New Zealand win aboard Supreme Heights in the Group 3 $70,000 NZB Ready To Run Sale Trainers Series (1600m) at New Plymouth last Saturday.