Wanganui trainers Ken Cropp and Catherine Wilson had just the one runner at Te Rapa yesterday and the lengthy road trip was made worthwhile after stable star Bulginbaah won the $70,000 Foxbridge Plate.
The grand elder statesman of weight-for-age and winter racing turned back the clock when out-sprinting and out-toughinga quality field to win the Waikato Stud-sponsored Group Three feature.
Veteran jockey Trudy Thornton had Bulginbaah nicely positioned and then lengthened stride effortlessly in the home stretch to reel in the pace-setting Richard Beymer to win by three lengths.
A further head away third was Woodbury Belle. On-the-pace runners dominated the finish with Sterling Prince, Jacowils, Il Quello Veloce and Six O'Clock News all making ground in the home stretch.
However, all honours were with Bulginbaah who has compiled the impressive career race record of 20 wins and 20 minor placings from 65 starts and nearly $600,000 in stake earnings.
Thornton must also be credited with an outstanding tactical ride positioning the 9-year-old perfectly on the speed and controlling the pace.
Bulginbaah has been forced to carry hefty weights due to his imposing career record and showed plenty of courage when it mattered lumping 58.5kg around on a testing track.
Te Rapa has been a happy hunting ground for the Wanganui-trained star - three wins and one minor placing - from six starts.
SHAUN CLOTWORTHY was the trainer worth following at Te Rapa, saddling up an impressive hat-trick of wins.
Clotworthy won the opening event with Penumbra (Leith Innes) with The Jungle Boy (Tony Ihaka) and Krash (Craig Grylls) rounding out the day.
All three are trained at the impressive Byerley Park training complex in Pukekohe - as was another winner on the programme - Agmemnon who is trained by Sally Gillespie.
LOCAL TRAINER Karen Zimmerman was on song at Otaki winning two races with Chouxmaani and Dubhdara.
The Zimmerman stable has been in good form and punters were quick to follow her team.
