Colin De Filippi drove his fifth Kurow Cup winner at Oamaru yesterday, when Pretty Dollybird prevailed in a tight finish.
Pretty Dollybird came home strongly from mid-field to win by a neck from the favourite, Amakudari, who led early in the run home after racing handy in the open over
the last 1300m.
Pretty Dollybird is trained by Dean Taylor for Grant Ball, Mark Hatwell, Peter McNeilly, Tom Ward and the Thunderbolt syndicate.
They have the 6-year-old Live Or Die-Not Tonite Josephine mare on lease from Ashburton breeders Keith and Bevan Grice.
She is one of three foals left by Not Tonite Josephine, who died in April last year.
She is also the dam of Parasite, winner of three races in New Zealand and also a winner in Australia.
De Filippi trained and drove Costeau, who he also part owned, to win the 1980 Kurow Cup. His other winners were Joy Boy, for G Dickson in 1983; the Kevin Chapman-trained Freightman in 1984 and Dillon Dean, trained by Don Dwyer in 1989.
One of the highlights on the card was provided by Move Over who ran his rivals ragged in the Casino Mobile Pace, to post his fifth win in as many starts.
He sped out of the gate before being eased in the lead by Tim Williams. Move Over dashed clear entering the stretch and won by a length in 2:26.5 for the 2000m in cold conditions, the last 800m in 56.9.
"He will have a couple of days off now and then be aimed at the Superstars," Wes Davies, his West Melton owner, said.
Move Over is trained by Jamie Gameson, who employs Davies' daughter Nicola. She does a lot of the work with the rising star.
Wes Davies trained Shift Over, the dam of Move Over, to win three races.
Move Over is the second of two live foals left by the Falcon Seelster mare, who died foaling to Badlands Hanover in 2006. Her other foal, Smooth Shift has won in Australia.
Davies has raced other horses, including In Command, winner of five races.
- OTAGO DAILY TIMES
