Leading kiwi trainer Lisa Latta has had a fantastic season to-date, claiming ten stakes victories and amassing over $2.2 million in prizemoney for her connections. One win that stands out for Latta is Platinum Invador’s Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m), a horse that was given over 12 months to recover from an injury and nursed back to salute in one of New Zealand’s premier staying events.

Awapuni, Latta’s local track, are in preperation for their first race meeting on the new synthetic surface this Sunday, 7 May. Latta has seen the benefits of the synthetic first-hand, currently working her entire stable on the newly implemented surface. “Having that even, consistent surface, all the time, Platinum Invador does a lot of his work on there, because he’s had a tendon injury and you have the same surface every day. I think the track will be a fantastic tool leading into winter and spring.”

As we head into the winter months, we can expect trainers like Latta to utilise synthetic tracks, with plenty more race meetings and trials planned on this surface around the country.

Listen to Lisa Latta’s chat with Mark Stafford below.