He can be a problem getting on to the track and today he wouldn't even go in the swab box after the race.Richard Sherwin, trainerLynsey Satherley struck it lucky on her old home track when she picked up the Fiber Fresh 3YO at Arawa Park yesterday.
Satherley, who grew up in Rotorua, was successful aboard the Keith and Brendon Hawtin-trained A Cool Change, a 3-year-old gelding by Cool Cat.
"I ride him in work and he always looks as though the further he goes the better he will be," said Satherley. "He showed a fair bit early on and he won it well today."
A Cool Change had been placed in three of his previous six starts, the most recent placing being a fourth behind Massive Night at Te Awamutu on October 8.
Freshened after that run, the gelding fought strongly for Satherley yesterday to hold off a late run from Kitty Leroy by a long head.
Local runner, Another Find, was an encouraging third for rider Chad Ormsby, kicking on well to be a short neck from the runner-up. It was just his fourth start and he indicated a win might not be far away.
Though Ormsby had to settle for a placing on Another Find, he experienced success in the first event yesterday, the Interislander Summer Festival 1230, guiding Blooming Hell to victory.
Blooming Hell is trained at Te Awamutu by Richard Sherwin and had shown promise with two third placings in his previous outings.
"He's got a lot of ability, but he's got a mind of his own," said Sherwin.
"He can be a problem getting on to the track and today he wouldn't even go in the swab box after the race.
"I'm lucky that I've only got six horses in work and can spend more time with him."
Blooming Hell looked the winner on straightening for the run home and he fought well to beat Papawai Hine with the pacemaker Midium Diva third.
Grand effortPayback time had a rewarding spinoff for Pukekohe apprentice Lisa Robertson at Arawa Park yesterday.
Robertson, who is apprenticed to Caroline Pomare, had her first ride for Pukekohe trainer Richard Collett and made it a winning one when guiding Rio Grand to a half-head win over Magic Epic.
"We've put Richard's apprentices on our horses a lot over the years and I suppose he felt it was a chance to pay us back," said Pomare. "Lee Rutherford used to ride for us a lot and we've given Jason and Tasha rides, too. It's good to give the apprentices a go and it's nice to see Richard give Lisa a chance."
Robertson had just the one ride yesterday and did her pre-race homework on the horse, going on line to watch Rio Grand's last-start fourth at Dargaville when he was ridden by Alysha Collett, the youngest of the Collett family.
Rio Grand had 10 starts before yesterday's Fashion and Faces 1400 and he had recorded three seconds and two fourths. Despite all the efforts of the Collett apprentices they could not urge Rio Grand into winning a race, but Robertson achieved the desired result after giving Rio Grand a good run throughout.
Magic Epic worked to the front and Rio Grand tracked him until putting on the pressure inside the last 250m. Though Magic Epic fought back determinedly on the fence, Rio Grand was strongest right on the line.
The win was the fifth for Robertson, who mixes riding with long-distance running. She recently won the Auckland marathon and is keen to represent New Zealand internationally.
"She deserves all the success she gets," said Pomare. "She rode that horse well and hopefully she can ride him again."
Rio Grand was the second of two winners on the day for Collett, who also prepared first-starter Ascot Hill to win the Merry Xmas From Classic Hits 1230. Ascot Hill, ridden by his son Jason, also prevailed in a close finish, getting home by a mere nose from the strong-finishing Mr Trim.
Ascot Hill had shaped well at trials, winning twice and being third on the other occasion. That trials form gave her connections confidence he could win yesterday. "He goes better this way round (left-handed) and that's why he came here," said Jason Collett.
"It was a good effort to win. He worked pretty hard early."
Richard Collett and his wife, Judy, share in the ownership of Ascot Hill with Marilyn Hoggard and Ian and Joanne Sims.
Good neighboursAlison Ritchie had a trainer to thank other than her husband, Shaune, after The Diamond Duke won the Ngongotaha Landscape Supplies 1400 at Arawa Park yesterday.
Ritchie is a part-owner of The Diamond Duke along with Bradbury Bloodstock Ltd, but the horse is these times trained at Cambridge by Stephen Marsh.
Shaune Ritchie originally trained The Diamond Duke, a son of Bachelor Duke, and the horse showed plenty of early potential, recording a win near the outset of his career.
However, after The Diamond Duke disappointed last campaign, the decision was made to switch stables and send her to Marsh.
"It was Shaune who suggested the horse come to me," said Marsh. "I'm happy to have him. He's got ability."
The Diamond Duke went into yesterday's race with a trials run at Paeroa under his belt and had finished a close second to Alegrio.
Yesterday The Diamond Duke was ridden by Matt Cameron and got home by a nose from Cathay Lady, who looked set to score when in front with 100 metres to run.
"I hope the owner [Ritchie] slings," quipped Marsh after the race.
Marsh was also to the fore later in the programme when Keep Thinking won the Dentists Pukaki 1400 for rider Jason Waddell.
Keep Thinking had won two of his previous nine starts, but hadn't started since last June.
Between times she has been placed in two trials and Marsh expected a bold run yesterday.