Fine racing on a perfect winter’s day
Whangarei in the winterless north provided great racing conditions on Saturday, July 23 at Ruakaka and a few of the locals were rewarded with success.
Pukekohe jockey Alysha Collett dead-heated for a win on Biggin Hill trained by her father Richard for Joanne Sims, with her cousin Sam Collett riding Belial, who is trained at Byerley Park by Steven Cole and raced by him and his father David.
Both geldings were recording their fifth wins for their respective owners.
The Logan/Gibbs team always dominate proceedings at Ruakaka and Saturday last week was no different with them training three winners, however two were ridden by the newly Pukekohe-based Kelly McCulloch and have local associations.
The first Barabas was an impressive winner in the twoyear- old 1000 metre event.
Having only his second start, he debuted at Ruakaka three weeks ago and was beaten by Barcelo.
This time out he reversed the roles and beat that horse by two and a quarter lengths.
He is a half-brother to Logan’s former top sprinter in Jazella and was bred by Hallmark Stud in Te Kauwhata and Nick and AnneMarie King who stand his exciting young sire Dalghar at their Cambridge property.
McCulloch’s second winner for the Logan/Gibbs team was on All Roads, who made it back to back wins in his latest campaign also winning at Ruakaka two weeks ago.
It was win number three for the Road To Rock gelding whose owners include Don and Mark Shuker and Clarks Beach locals Brian and Felice Broome.
Byerley Park apprentice Lee Magorrian also scored a double at Ruakaka, winning the ITM Whangarei Gold Cup on Smedley, for Clayton Stevenson and his mother Clare.
It was the seventh win for the Colombia gelding.
Magorrian also rode Annabelinda to win a welldeserved rating 65 1600 metre race, giving her a second win.
To date she has run second nine times.
He also backed his double at Ruakaka up with a win at Te Aroha on Sunday, July 24 when he kicked home Classic Warrior to win a rating 65 1400 metre event, while his boss Shaun Clotworthy trained Stagehand to win the restricted open steeplechase.
Fellow apprentice Amber Sims also added to her winning tally at Te Aroha with a win on So Keep Em in a maiden 1400, while Glen Murray’s Shelly Wright trained Matost to win a maiden hurdle race.
The Sean Cameron trained Hungry Eyes, owned by Cliff Matson and David Tarrig, seems to be enjoying his southern sojourn and picked up another win at Ashburton on Friday.