Red hot Coulee keeps her South Island crown

LEADING southern mare Coulee continued her hot run of form and that of Brian and Shane Anderton when she successfully defended her Group III South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes title at Riccarton.

The five-year-old was given a copybook ride by apprentice Jacob Lowry to claim top honours yesterday in the Valachi Downs-sponsored feature, which the father and son training combination also won in 2015 with Include.

Coulee travelled comfortably in the trail and the chestnut rounded off her effort strongly in the straight for the ninth victory of her 28-start career.

The winner of the Group III White Robe Lodge Stakes three runs back, she was then freshened to run fourth in an open sprint.

‘‘She’s been racing very well and at Wingatui the other day she just found the 1200 metres too short, but she hit the line strongly,’’ Shane Anderton said.

‘‘She had been working well and she’s a pretty versatile mare, she goes on just about any sort of ground and she’s very honest.’’

Completing an outstanding result for the stable was Fascinate, who passed her toughest test with a bold run for second.

Dontpokethetiger, the only threeyear-old in the race, gave a great sight in front and she boxed on gamely to finish third.

In the first feature of the day at Riccarton, the consistent Saint Kitt caused a minor upset in the Seaton Family Memorial Hororata Gold Cup (1800m).

The Pam Robson trained Saint Kitt, in the hands of Lee Callaway, beat home Revelator by a half a head. Bloodstream had to settle for fourth. Meanwhile, speed merchant Prom Queen is on target to collect the second black type victory of her fledgling career.

Successful in the Listed Welcome Stakes in the spring, the daughter of Super Easy has the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes as her autumn goal.

Prom Queen showed she was in good touch for that May 6 feature when she burned off her rivals in yesterday’s twoyear-old race at Riccarton to remain unbeaten in three appearances at the Canterbury track.