Racing: Horses carry Fair Tax colours to victory

The Fair Tax For Racing group could not have wished for a better way of promoting their cause than at yesterday's Hawke's Bay premier race meeting when three horses carried the group's specially-designed colours to victory.

Gold Memba's rider Andrew Calder wore the destinctive black colours, with the words Fair Tax in bold white lettering, to win the opening event on the programme and Leith Innes also wore them when piloting St Reims to an all-the-way winner in race two.

Then, just to cap off the day, Pin Up Boy's jockey Reece Jones also had the colours on his back when leading all the way in the final event.

The group is lobbying for change to the unfair taxation on racing and went all out to get their point across yesterday.

Besides having one jockey in every race wearing the special colours, the saddlecloths and strapper's bibs of every runner in every race also bore the words Fair Tax.

Also in attendance was National Party leader Don Brash along with several other national MPs and candidates.

National is promising a change to the taxation system that applies to racing if it becomes government next month.

Racing presently pays nearly seven times more gaming tax on every dollar wagered relative to its most direct competitor, casinos.

Mr Brash was asked to make the presentation to the winning connections after the running of yesterday's Mudgway Fair Tax For Racing Stakes and stated that National, if elected to government, would make direct changes to taxation on racing from the beginning of the next racing season, in August of next year.

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St Reims started on the road to a tilt at the $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) at Hastings on October 1 with another super-impressive win yesterday.

The Zabeel six-year-old was opposed by only four runners in the Braxton Car Lights Premier, but produced a tremendous performance, carrying topweight of 60kg.

As he has done so often in the past, St Reims dictated his own rules in the 2000m event, before skipping clear early in the home straight.

Race favourite Haylee Baylee was starting to eat into his lead over the final stages but he was able to hold her out and won by a short head.

"He needed the run today but felt really great," said successful rider Leith Innes.

"The other horse (Haylee Baylee) may have been a bit unlucky but if she had got up alongside me earlier I'm sure my horse would have dug in and found more," he added.

St Reims will now return to Hastings on September 14 for another 2000m open handicap before lining up in the Kelt.

"He'll probably get another kilo and a half after his win and will probably have to carry 61 or 61.5kg next start but it's the only suitable race for him before the Kelt," the horse's part-owner Rob McAnulty said.

St Reims has now won four times on the Hastings track from five starts.

Haylee Baylee's rider Michael Coleman said his mount probably should have won.

Coleman had to restrain her to the back of the five-horse field in the early stages after being parked out three-wide and then the mare got held up for a few strides behind Titian at the top of the home straight.

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Punters were stunned and rider Darryl Bradley surprised when hot favourite King Of Ashford was beaten by Cedar Manor in the Fulton Hogan Premier (1600m) at Hastings yesterday.

King Of Ashford looked set for victory when he bounded up outside leader Cedar Manor inside the last 200 metres of the race, but the latter kicked back close to the line to get the decision by half a head.

King Of Ashford, winner of six races on end last season and a likely candidate for races like the Kelt Capital Stakes and Cox Plate later this year, held the hopes of most punters chasing the $150,000 Pick Six Jackpot run on the last six races at yesterday's meeting.

His rider Darryl Bradley thought he had the race won and was surprised by the final result.

"You could have dug a hole and put me in after it was announced the other horse had won," Bradley said.

"I was sure my horse had done enough to win."

Cedar Manor was making a return to the winner's circle after a long absence.

Co-trainer Stephen Autridge said the horse is now likley to return to Hastings on September 17 for the Stoney Bridge Stakes (1600m) and then have a crack at the $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) on October 1.

King Of Ashford could also tackle both of those races.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY