Shifted meeting draws punters
RACING
SHADE was a hot commodity over the weekend as punters gathered for the first Waikouaiti Racing Club fixture at its new venue.
The club held its annual meeting at Wingatui on Saturday, the first since it lost its annual New Year’s Day race date.
It had been racing at Waikouaiti since 1862.
The shift did not put a dampener on the day though, as about 2000 people turned out on a scorching southern day.
Among them was Courtney Goodman, of Dunedin, for whom it was third time lucky — she had tried to get to the Waikouaiti races twice before but they had been called off both times.
Wingatui suited them better though, she said, pointing to 4weekold son Flynn.
She also had daughters Ava and Keira with her, and the pair were making the most of the shade in a popup tent.
Club president Andy Denham was happy with the turnout, and with the great weather.
‘‘It’s going really well, it’s fantastic.
‘‘There’s a great crowd and great racing.’’
He believed the Waikouaiti course had attracted a few more people, as racegoers enjoyed going to a country meeting.
But, he said, the shift was simply a sign of the times.
EMOTIONS ran high after Dee And Gee stuck her neck out to deliver a timely win for trainer Peter Corbett in the Waikouaiti Cup at Wingatui on Saturday.
The 7yrold dug deep for rider Sam Weatherly to score a heartwarming victory just three days after a remembrance service was held at Riccarton for Corbett’s late partner, Terrill Charles.
Charles died late last month after battling brain cancer for more than five years, after initially being given just fourandahalf months to live.
The late trainer was known throughout racing circles for facing her cancer battle bravely, and she and Corbett notched their biggest triumph in racing during that time when Dee And Gee won the 2019 New Zealand Cup.
When the same horse saluted in Saturday’s feature it ended a highly emotional week for Corbett.
“It was special and it was pretty emotional,” he said.
Both training and life partners, Corbett and Charles also owned Dee And Gee together.
Corbett continues to race the mare with Charles’ estate remaining in her ownership.
On Friday night Corbett was delivered a sign that Charles was looking down on him and their horses ahead of Saturday’s feature.
“When we arrived at Wingatui we were in the old barn . . . there were only four horses in there — our four,” the trainer said.
“And a fantail came in just after we settled the horses in and it made a hell of a racket.
“It hung around and then buggered off and we didn’t see another fantail for the whole two days we were there.
“It was certainly a sign. “Terrill would have been checking up making sure I had their water buckets done and had the right covers on them.”
Dee And Gee did not hit the front in the Waikouaiti Cup until just a matter of strides before the winning post.
And when she got there it was not clear she had beaten stablemates Riviera Rock and Orepuki in a tight finish.
It was one of the mare’s signature qualities that helped her eventually be declared the winner.
“That is her when she is right — when a horse gets beside her she seems to dig again,’’ Corbett said.
“She has been beaten a couple of times when has run out of ground.
“That is what happened when she ran second in the Wellington Cup.
“If Gorbachev had got her a bit earlier she would have fought and you could see she was coming again.
“And after the post, she was in front again.”
Dee And Gee had not shown those kinds of qualities leading into Saturday's feature — her form had dropped off as Corbett battled to get the mare’s confidence back.
“She had to show something or she would have been retired.
“She has been working the house down.
“When she got galloped on in the Wellington Cup it really knocked her and it has taken a long time for her to start fighting again.”
Saturday’s win booked Dee And Gee a return trip to Trentham for next week’s Wellington Cup.
Corbett hopes she can go one better than her second placing in 2019.
“I have to go on that run.” “She has got a bit of unfinished business up there.’’
Dee And Gee is ranked eighth on the order of entry for the 3200m feature on January 30.