Waverley trainer John Boon left Hawera racecourse on Saturday happy in the knowledge that the career of his talented stayer Cluden Creek is back on track.
Cluden Creek may still have a way to go before you could say he was as good as he was when he won the2004 Wellington Cup, but his win in Saturday's $20,000 Egmont Cup (2300m) was a big step forward.
Cluden Creek was having his second run after a layoff in which he had an operation to stitch back one side of his larynx to enable him to breath properly.
"I'm proud of him today," said Boon. "That shows he's through that bad patch. Now all I need to do is keep him fit and well and we could have some more fun with him."
A tilt at the New Zealand Cup at Riccarton next month is on Cluden Creek's programme.
Boon said as a lead in to the Canterbury staying feature, Cluden Creek would contest the Feilding Cup and the Metropolitan Trophy (2500m) on the opening day of the cup carnival at Riccarton.
Just as thrilled with Cluden Creek's return to winning form was his Egmont Cup rider Kelly Myers.
The Hawera born and raised 22-year-old ranked the win the most memorable of her short career.
"Winning my home town cup is a big thrill," Myers said after getting Cluden Creek home first by a head over runner-up Keisano and Eagarpence in a driving finish to the 2300m staying feature.
Apprenticed to the Graeme Rogerson-Stephen Autridge stable and based at Awapuni in Palmerston North, Myers has created a big impression in the six months she has been riding as a professional.
She had a couple of rides as an amateur last year when teaching in Palmerston North.
Cluden Creek was the first of two wins for Myers yesterday. She guided Just Looking, owned by her father Patrick Myers, to win the final race on the card.
