The Gordonian wins Riverton Cup
Help from family and friends played a part in trainer Jo Gordon winning the $60,000 Riverton Cup on Saturday.
Some of them own the cup winner, The Gordonian, who went into the event without racing for six weeks.
He jarred up during the summer, prompting Gordon to confine his cup build up to the training tracks at Ascot Park.
‘‘I’ve got a very loyal group who help in the stable and at the races,’’ Gordon said.
Susan Holland, who part-owns The Gordonian, is one of Gordon’s daily helpers.
Holland has been involved with the Gordon stable for 30 years.
She helped when Gordon and her late father, Jack, trained in partnership.
The Gordonian gave Gordon her first Riverton Cup win. Her father won the race four times when he trained on his own.
Gordon was thrilled The Gordonian won a major race like the Riverton Cup.
‘‘It was his 11th win and he deserved to win a good race.
‘‘He was dad’s favourite horse and this is the first Easter Dad’s not here [at Riverton].’’
Gordon said The Gordonian was a bit tired on Sunday and would have a week off before preparing for the Great Autumn Handicap at Riccarton in May.
Other owners of the 9-year-old gelding are Gordon’s sister Kirsty Anderson, mother Verona Gordon, Justine Condon, Judy Holland and Bryan Townley, all of Invercargill, Sharon Hinga, of Dunedin, Nigel Minty, of Orawia, and Neil Sword, of Christchurch.
Judy Holland part-owned the 1998 Riverton Cup winner, The Waysider, who was among the four horses Jack trained to win the race.
Riverton Racing Club president Barry Leith said the crowd number on Saturday was down on last year mainly because many Southlanders attended the Ed Sheeran concerts in Dunedin and the Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow. ‘‘Those two events certainly had an effect on us.’’
Isla Bank trainers Ian and Kerry Taplin went with 10 friends in a mini-van to Sheeran’s concert on Saturday night after being on course at Riverton to watch their galloper, Pacific Tap (ninth), in race one.
Fashion in the Field prizewinners at the Riverton races were Susan Kortright, first, Catlin Russell, second, and Theresa Kingipotiki, third.
The second day of the Riverton Racing Club’s Easter meeting is today.
The large screen used at the races stayed up another day to show Joseph Parker fight Anthony Joshua in Cardiff.
Leith said 250 people turned up for the fight, which that started about 9.45am yesterday.
Joshua went on to win the fight, while Parker’s team were left frustrated for his loss.