RACING: Lowry's biggest win

JOHN JENKINS
Royally-bred mare Lilakyn credited Hastings trainer Guy Lowry with the biggest win of his career when taking out the listed $60,000 Ancare Feilding Cup (2100m) at Awapuni on Saturday.
Lowry has been training seven years and Lilakyn is one of 24 horses he has in work.
The five-year-old mare is by the former champion sire Danehill out of the 1993 New Zealand Derby winner Popsy and is owned by Havelock North couple Sam and Birdie Kelt.
Lilakyn's win followed two third placings and a ninth at this year's three-day Hawke's Bay spring carnival.
The thirds were over 1600 and 2000 metres and she was far from disgraced when ninth in the group one weight-for-age Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m).
In each of those races Lilakyn was ridden in a forward position but Lowry maintains Lilakyn produces her best when allowed to settle at the back and mount a stayer's run.
Those were the instructions to rider Hayden Tinsley on Saturday and everything fell into place.
With Shamrock Star and Kenadaad running keenly in front, the pace was a true one and that suited Lilakyn ideally. She was still back third last on the home turn, but only half a dozen lengths off the leaders, and unleashed a powerful finish down the outside of the track to win by three-quarters of a length.
Lord Asterix, who momentarily looked the winner when he shot to the front early in the home straight, held second by three-quarters of a length from Creil.
Lowry said today Lilakyn will now be aimed at the group one Avondale Cup (2200m) on November 30 and may also take in the Counties Cup on November 19.
"We'll just see how she does," he said.