Gallant grey galloper Jamesmyname bounced back into the winners circle at Riccarton yesterday, claiming his second Inter Island Horse Transport Brabazon Handicap win in the last two years.
Overdue a winning turn, the Paul Harris-trained six-year-old showed the customary dash that had been lacking for a while, the stable's promising
apprentice Kazuki Ichikawa guiding him to a comfortable victory with the aid of a 4kg claim.
It was Jamesmyname's third win from 13 starts on the track.
Ichikawa let the Kingdom Bay gelding slide forward from an outside gate to assume control, booting clear turning for home and not relenting to win by a length-and-a-quarter over warm favourite Crafty Decision, and Coup Loch who tried hard in the run up the straight, in third.
Meanwhile, North Canterbury galloper Simon Sez will tackle premier quality events at the Wellington Racing Club's meetings at Trentham next month following a brilliant front-running win in yesterday's Senor Pete-Kennels Handicap over 1800 metres.
Trainer Tarsha Stokes expects the Simon Snorkel gelding to revel on a Trentham winter track and confidently looks forward to the challenge.
"I'm keen to go up to Wellington with him, even though he's never been there before," she said.
"He loves the wet tracks and he should handle Trentham.
"On today's win he certainly deserves the chance to go and have a crack, anyway."
Stokes said the five-year-old will carry on to better things this winter now he has strengthened into a more complete racehorse.
He was nicely ridden by Kylie Williams at Riccarton who was posting her 48th winner of the season.
This has been Williams' best-ever year in the saddle.
