Opaki off to red-hot spring start

CHARGING HOME: Zartan wins the Carters Gib 1600 at Wanganui on Saturday in the hands of Miranda Dravitzki, with Grey Guru running into second. PHOTO/FILE

OPAKI horse trainers have a spring in their step after immediate change-of-season successes.

Two of the nine races on Saturday's Wanganui card were won by Opaki gallopers and the centre also produced two second placings on what was the first day of central districts spring racing, bearing in mind Friday's Otaki meeting was abandoned.

Longchamp won for trainer Andrew Campbell and Zartan for Kylie Little.

Zartan extended his impressive record to four wins in his last five starts.

Share the Blame went a cracking race for trainer Gerald Innes, only failing to win by a head, returning better than $9 a place and contributing to a $4526 trifecta.

Little produced Sir Kingwood to finish second in the Grant Sweeney Memorial to cap a good day for Opaki.

The training track just out of Masterton has deservedly earned a reputation as a top track for producing winter gallopers but Saturday's results defied that to some extent, heralding what could be an excellent spring season for horses trained there.

Wairarapa could also draw a long bow and claim to have had an interest in the winning of the feature on the card, the Wanganui Guineas. Alcaldesa is owned and trained outside the district but was ridden by talented young Leah Hemi, who has strong family connections to Wairarapa.

Hemi just got the filly home to return punters $50 on the win machine and contributed to a first-four payout of $52,347.