PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Jack Power

It’s fast becoming the norm for jumps racing fans, but Jack Power enjoyed another splendid day in the saddle at Te Rapa on Saturday. With just three jumps’ races carded, Jack made the most of his well-fancied rides saluting in all three of those races. A perfectly timed lunge saw Oxygen win the eventful maiden hurdle, followed by up-and-coming hurdler Taika, who put in a tradesman like performance at short odds in the open hurdle. With 2 wins in the bag, Jack was legged aboard the race favourite in the open steeplechase where his 3kg claim showed late, as Raucous charged inside the last 100m to score by 1 ¼ lengths. From just 19 rides in New Zealand this season, Jack was able to cement 2^nd place on the Jumps Jockey premiership with 7 wins at a strike rate of 2.71.

GAP JOB

Elusive Capital

Jumping as the outsider of the field, Elen Nicholas gave Elusive Capital a patient ride at the rear of the field in the 2000m contest. The pair starting the winning run on the corner, looping the field and racing away to post a winning margin of 6 ¼ lengths. An emphatic win from the son of Darci Brahma. This capped of a fantastic day out for the Martin Da Cruz stable. With a small team in work Martin and his team saddled a race day double on Wednesday at Cambridge. As stablemate Shampagne Dancer, also ridden by Elen Nicholas, recorded a brave win in the race prior. The winning stable double would have paid $290.70 for the loyal Martin Da Cruz stable supporters.

RIDE OF THE WEEK

Hayley Hassman – Hill Of Kings

Amateur rider, Hayley Hassman got her race day career off to a dream start on Saturday when she steered Hill Of Kings to a well-rated win. At just her first race day ride, Hayley took the Shaun Phelan trained runner to the front from the outside gate and from there she controlled the tempo masterfully and held off the late challenge of Husk inside the final 200m. A decisive ride from the young rider, Hayley certainly looks destined for a career in the saddle.

RUNNING HOT

Andrew Carston 

The final meeting of the season for the South Island was on Friday and the battle for the South Island Trainers premiership remained in full swing. With the Pitman’s stable on 40 wins and the Carston stable on 39. It was a frustrating day for the Pitman’s with three minor placings, but Andrew Carston was able to make the most of the final synthetic meeting of the season and score 3 winners from the nine races. Thanks to the wins of Mumbo Jumbo, Russian Fable & Demand Respect Andrew and his team wrapped the 2022/23 season with 42 winners, a career best for the Riccarton based stable.

Stand and Applaud

• Mark Walker
• Michael McNab
• Shaun Fannin
• Tayla Mitchell
• Kevin Myers

As we wrap the 2022/23 season, we must congratulate all of our premiership winners. Tayla Mitchell who managed to hold on by the barest of margins to claim the apprentice title from a game Kelsey Hannan.
As well as Kevin Myers who made his way back to the top of the Jumps trainers’ premiership by just 1 win.
The other premiership winners, however, were all in a class of their own. Shaun Fannin taking out the Jumping Jockeys premiership with a massive 17 winners, 10 wins clear of his nearest rival. Michael McNab not only backing it up but raising the bar from his premiership success last season with 164 wins, 47 wins clear of the next best.
Perhaps the most remarkable was the dominance of returning trainer Mark Walker this season. Not only racing away to win the premiership by 103 wins (let that sink in), but smashing the all-time New Zealand win record for a single season and setting a benchmark of 203 wins in a single season, a feat very very unlikely to be matched.