Grant Nicholson made the trip north from Masterton well worthwhile when his 3-year-old filly Sou'East landed some sizeable bets at Arawa Park yesterday.
Sou'East was crunched on the Fixed Odds betting early yesterday morning and though he eased slightly when the rain caused continuous downgrades to the track the damage had already been done for the TAB bookies.
"The boys had a bit of a lick [punt]," said Nicholson as he waited to greet Sou'East in the winner's enclosure after the Townley Trenching & Electrical 1560. "I thought she would win, but I didn't want the rain.
"She's better on top of the ground and the further she goes will be better for her."
Sou'East is an Australian-bred daughter of Southern Image and was purchased privately from Cambridge Stud. She had eight starts going into yesterday's event for two seconds, the latest one at Hastings on New Year's Day when ridden by Robert Hannam.
Hannam was again aboard yesterday and after a tussle with the pacemaker Bouvier in the run home he got Sou'East to the post a short neck in front.
Two races earlier another central districts visitor, Commett, finished best to take the Iles Casey Chartered Accountants 1200 by a long head from Lady Carolyn, who looked likely to score when in front 200 metres out.
Ridden by James McDonald, Commett is trained at Hastings by John Bary and has now won twice from six starts. Meanwhile yesterday's meeting started off on a high note for Maija Vance and reminded her of the value of riding work for trainers Dawn and Peter Williams 12 months ago.
Vance picked up her second win for the former Canterbury couple when guiding Hexie Hao to a game win in the Waikato Stud Yearlings @ Karaka 1200 at yesterday's meeting.
"Last year when they [the Williamses] had Planet Rock up at McKees for the Karaka Million I rode her in work," said Vance. "Since they have shifted up here they've been giving me some rides so it's worked out well. I won for them at Counties and now I've got this one today."
Hexie Hao is raced by Northlander Gus Gillespie and had shown promise in three previous starts with his career beginning from the Williams' Riccarton stable. He was second on debut at Motukarara on October 30 then sixth at the New Zealand Cup meeting.
In his first start since the Williamses shifted to Byerley Park at Karaka Hexie Hao finished second to Allanah over 1200 metres at Te Rapa on January 12 when ridden for the first time by Vance.
Yesterday he enjoyed a good run in the trail and after challenging for the lead inside the last 400 metres he fought strongly right to the line. Bragging Rights looked likely to overhaul him when making his run down the outer, but Hexie Hao refused to give in and won by a head.
Cameron Lammas added to his good strike rate on the Arawa Park track when he guided Zankuro to a runaway win in the Atkinson & Donaldson Plumbing 1400. It continued a good track record for Zankuro, who has had three wins and two placings from five starts on the course.
Zankuro has now won three times since joining the Cambridge stable of Don Sellwood and he relished the downgraded track to win by two and a half lengths from Whitby.