Event results in $16,000 for spinal trust

Counties Racing Club put on a fantastic day on Sunday when they held their annual NZ Spinal Trust fundraising race day.

A race featuring the New Zealand Wheel Blacks and a team of local celebrities, a moonhopper race amongst the jockeys, along with wood chopping and a fundraising lunch all helped to contribute to the $16,000 plus raised for the NZ Spinal Trust.

Not to mention the $1150 pledged by the public for jockey Cameron Lammas to have his pro- lific beard shaved.

The racing was great with lots of local participation, and the feature event sponsored by Karaka based Haunui Farm the listed Haunui Farm Karaka Classic, was won by Irish import Chance To Dance, who races from the Te Akau Stable for the Fortuna Chance To Dance Syndicate.

Early in the day Leith Innes rounded off his weekend winning the two-year-old event on Masque, a well related Savabeel colt trained by the Rogersons. That gave him two wins for the weekend after he had ridden the highly promising Haussman to victory at Hastings on Saturday.

L’Escalier Rose showed her liking for the Counties track when she scored in the rating 65 1200 metre event. From only four starts the four-year-old daughter of Starcraft has won two races and been placed third on the Counties track. She is prepared locally by Luke Pertab, who shares in her ownership.

She beat last start maiden winner Call Me Bob from the Tiley stable, by three lengths going away, and she looks to be in for a good campaign going forward.

The Tiley stable scored in the next event with Odisha, a promising Darci Brahma mare who has now won four races. She was ridden by Lisa Allpress and was successful in the rating 75 1400 metre event.

Byerley Park trainer John Williams, was rewarded with a win by his Gallant Guru gelding Arite Guru. He bred the horse from his five-time winning mare Arurite, and he also raced her first foal Aruriteson with some success. He races this winner with Peter Reekers.

Arite Guru was ridden by Byerley Park based apprentice Rebecca Scott, giving the 23-yearold her fourth career win, which means she now rides with a three kilo claim.

She settled him in the trail, challenged on the turn and went to the lead and fought doggedly to the line.

It didn’t take Scott long before she was saluting the judge again, winning on Deluxe Edition, this time she settled the Tavistock gelding in the rear, and swooped from last on the turn to bomb the leaders and get up and win by a half a head.