Patrick Erin prevails after a thrilling finish
Riverton Cup-winning jockey Shankar Muniandy will escape the winter to ride in his homeland of Malaysia.
It suits him to be away in June, July and August because South Island racing is not so busy in that period. He rode a winner at Penang, Malaysia, in 2014.
Muniandy won Saturday’s Cup on Patrick Erin and has worked for the gelding’s Wingatui trainers, Brian and Shane Anderton, for 10 years.
‘‘They’re like a second family to me and to win another big race, in their colours, is pretty special,’’ Muniandy, 29, said.
He won the Group III Canterbury Gold Cup twice on the Anderton-trained Inferno.
Muniandy has ridden Patrick Erin three times for three wins. The 5-year-old stayer is an exciting prospect for the future, with a record of seven wins, three seconds and three thirds from 15 starts.
In the $60,000 Riverton Cup, Patrick Erin raced handy early before leading halfway down the straight. He galloped strongly to the finish and withstood Revelator’s late charge to score by half a length.
‘‘He grabbed the bit at the 550. I knew at the top of the rise, I was going to get it,’’ Muniandy said.
Apprentice Krishna Mudhoo praised Revelator, who carried topweight of 60kg.
‘‘Too much weight . . . it was huge effort,’’ Mudhoo said.
Patrick Erin and Revelator finished first and second, respectively, in the Wyndham Cup on April 1.
Riverton Cup favourite Miss Three Stars ran on for fifth. She settled back and wasn’t suited to the slow early pace, jockey Sam Wynne said.
‘‘When they [leaders] put the foot down at the 1200, it made it difficult from then on. ‘‘She hit the line good.’’ Trainer Tommy Beckett plans to start Miss Three Stars in the $100,000 Canterbury Gold Cup at Riccarton on Saturday.
La Nouvelle Vague, who finished fourth in the Riverton Cup, is earmarked for the 2500m Great Autumn Handicap at Riccarton on May 6.
Patrick Erin will be turned out this week, Shane Anderton says. ’’As he’s matured, he’s got better and every time we’ve asked him to step up, he’s done it.’’ Patrick Erin is Anderrton’s first Riverton Cup winner.
Brian Anderton has had three wins in the race, others successes being with Bloodstone (1989) and Auditory (1982).
Christchurch trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman bagged four wins on Saturday.
Their victories with O’Kiwi, Prince Ransom, Jazzman and Dynamic moved the partnership to 44 wins for the season. They are fourth equal with Stephen Marsh and Graeme and Debbie Rogerson on the national trainers’ premiership.
O’Kiwi galloped clear for a seven-length win in a rating 65 1600m. The Pentire 4-year-old was unraced when joining the Pitmans’ stable last season.
A fourth was O’Kiwi’s best result from three trials for his previous trainer, Tony Pike, of Cambridge.
Prince Ransom won his sixth rating 65 race on Saturday. His career win tally is 10.
Jazzman and jockey Amanda Morgan combined for their sixth win together in a $30,000 open sprint.
Michael Pitman said he liked campaigning horses at Riverton because of the good stakes and the Riverton Racing Club’s hospitality to trainers.
The horseman trained six winners on the Riverton Cup day programme in 2012.