Happy Star cemented Kevin Myers at the top of the Grand National Hurdles (4200m) ladder when winning the Whanganui trainer's fifth title in the race at Riccarton yesterday.
With Myers training the four fancied runners in the seven-horse field, he was odds on to win the race, but nothing is a surety in racing.
Stable runner He's Ric set the pace throughout and Happy Star proved to be a handful in the trail for jockey Shaun Phelan, with the gelding by Fabulous pulling throughout.
But the seven-year-old showed his talents when taking control of the race with three fences to go, with Phelan nursing him over the final two fences and running away to a comfortable 16 length victory over He's Ric, with a further 71/2! lengths back to Phelan Foxy third.
It was Phelan's second consecutive win in the race after guiding The Cossack to victory in the jumping feature last year.