Racing; Cup triumph seals return

Jockey Opie Bosson. Photo / Christine Cornege.

Opie Bosson gave punters a further reminder of his undoubted class as New Zealand's premier race day jockey dominating the card at Awapuni yesterday.

Bosson scored an impressive hat trick of wins high lighted by the impressive return to winning form of well-performed stayer Mr Tipsy who over powered the opposition to win the $55,000 Marton Cup.

The Christmas racing period was not kind to Bosson who was forced to stand himself down from riding because of a shoulder injury sustained while playing touch rugby.

It was an expensive injury for Bosson who missed feature race victories at Ellerslie with King's Rose and Booming.

Bosson gave Mr Tipsy a dream sit one-off the fence before working forward three wide around the field over the closing 600m.

Once Bosson had allowed Mr Tipsy time to balance his muscular frame in the home stretch they quickly gathered in the leaders clearing at the finish to easily defeat Can't Keeper Down and He's Under The Gun (third).

So Pristine battled gamely into fourth position but was left flat footed in the home stretch when the winner lengthened stride and powered away from the field.

"When he's on his game he's a very good horse. We hit a flat spot coming across the top but once I got him balanced when straightening up he really powered into his work," said Bosson after the race.

Bosson's earlier victories at Awapuni were with Shez Sinsational and Mr Legs.

ANDREW CALDER had one of the easiest winning rides at Awapuni yesterday teaming up with exciting 4-year-old Rockburn.

The Stephen Marsh-trained son of Thorn Park was three wide in the middle of the field throughout the running of the $20,000 1200m event but lengthened stride effortlessly in the home stretch.

Calder only have to give Rockburn a couple of taps with the whip as the favourite cleared out from the opposition to win by 1 lengths over Jed with a further long neck back to Take Off (third).

Cambridge-based owners Bruce and Maureen Harvey have another class athlete under their ownership - this victory his second on top of two minor placings - from four starts.

RICCARTON PARK trainers Peter and Dawn Williams travelled North to qualify speed filly Planet Rock for the rich Karaka Millions 2-year-old race.

Planet Rock unleashed an effortless home stretch sprint down the middle of the track in the hands of Michael Coleman to win the $11,000 Countdown To Karaka Million 2-Year-Old Handicap at Ellerslie yesterday.

The daughter of Fastnet Rock settled back in the field and was pulled to the middle of the track, balanced, and then quickly reeled in the leaders scoring by 1 lengths over Heza Rebel with a further length back to Flashy Fella (third).

Planet Rock created a huge impression when finishing second on her race debut at Trentham and the Williams stable have patiently plotted a successful hit and run raid on the $1 million 2-year-old event at Ellerslie later this month.

The 1200m was cut out in 1:11.44 with an easy sprint home over the closing 600m by the leaders in 35.16s.

One thing is for certain - the pace will certainly be quicker in the Karaka Million 2-Year-Old feature but there was plenty to like about the effortless and professional winning performance produced by the daughter of Fastnet Rock.

One runner to catch the eye was the fourth placed Queen Boudicca who settled in last position and did plenty wrong running about in the home stretch but still managed to close quickly on the major place getters wider out on the track.

CLASS FILLY Banchee was made to work hard to score her first win for the season responding to an aggressive ride by James McDonald.

Banchee settled at the rear of the small field in the 1600m event and took the length of the home straight to grab a gallant topweight, Historian, on the line to win by a nose.

Yin Yang Master was right alongside this pair at the finish in third position.