Palmerston North trainer Kevin Gray's great season has continued with a win for Porotene Gem in the $50,000 Warstep Stakes in Christchurch.
Porotene Gem was a $3.30 favourite for Saturday's 2000m race for 3-year-old fillies at Riccarton and looked in for a comfortable win when she went upto Shining Light in the lead at the top of the straight.
But Shining Light, from the Waikato stable of John Sargent, fought back strongly and it was only nearing the winning post that Porotene Gem got the upper hand to score by a short head.
Gray, who shifted his training operation from Waverley this year, recently reached the $1 million mark in stake earnings by his horses so far this season.
Porotene Gem has been a big contributor with an earlier win being the $200,000 Levin Classic (1600m) for 3-year-olds at Otaki in November.
A month earlier Gray produced Pins 4-year-old mare Legs to win New Zealand's richest race, the $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) at Hastings.
Another recent good win came with Buckle Your Belt in the $150,000 Rangitikei Gold Cup (1600m) at Awapuni on April 25, the horse scoring at odds of 59-1.
Porotene Gem's win on Saturday was Gray's third in the Warstep Stakes.
His two previous wins in the race were with Supa Belt in 2001 and Miss Jessie Jay the following year.
Gray said Porotene Gem was likely to take a winter break but he would consider preparing her for the Hawkes Bay group one weight-for-age spring treble, which culminates with the Kelt.
The Kelt is worth $2 million this year.
In the other big race, Delbrae snared the group three Canterbury Gold Cup. Balmuse fought bravely for second with Al Farouk third.
