Hawke's Bay Racing general manager Andrew Castles said it was fortuitous that saddlecloths had been produced for all 20 horses - the 16 initially in the field and the four emergencies headed by Close Up in the ballot for re-entry.
Mr Castles said that while the weather wasn't the best the on-course betting turnover for the day was about 30 per cent up on last year, an indication the climate had had little impact on the turnout for the racing in which the highlight was the Tarzino Trophy, the result of which was being watched with interest on both sides of the Tasman.
Ms Hale was diagnosed with bowel cancer four years ago, but her career had been put back on track with Close-Up's win in the Easter Stakes at Ellerslie in April and Saturday's win in which the gelding downed favourite Kawi, which was fourth while trying to win the race for a third year in a row, Melbourne Cup entry and New Zealander Derby winner Gingernuts, which was fifth, and rising star Volpe Veloce, sixth.
The trainer told the crowd: "I can't thank the Cancer Society enough. They were such a help to me when I most needed them. They just bend over backwards with their resources and do everything they can to help you through."
It was also emotional for jockey Grant Cooksley, who only came to Hawke's Bay to ride the horse in the race.
It was a mixture of fairytale and no fairytale in another arm of the Daffodil Day promotion.
The El Roca Sir Colin Meads Three-Year-Old Trophy race was won by Bostonian, with winning Hastings-raised, Cambridge-based trainer Tony Pike having already decided to contribute a half-share of his stakes on the day to the cancer appeal.
But it was partly at the expense of Sophie's Choice, a horse part-owned by Sir Colin Mead and wife Lady Verna, which had to settle for seventh place.
As a tribute to the All Black great, who died on August 20 after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer, Sophie's Choice raced in the Daffodil Day colours and wore No 5 in what was Race No 5. Sir Colin wore the No 5 jersey in about half the 55 test matches he played for the All Blacks from 1957 to 1971.