Cambridge horse takes out feature at Tauranga

WINNING STYLE: Red Sky At Night flashed home to win the main race at Tauranga on Friday. PHOTO:ANDREW WARNER

With just 30 metres to run it looked odds on that a horse named after a Beatles classic would win the feature race at Racing Tauranga's Christmas at the Races yesterday.

But from way back in the pack, Red Sky At Night came thundering home under an astute ride from Matt Cameron to beat Ticket To Ride and take out the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race.

Delighted Cambridge trainer Margaret Falconer says she felt confident that Red Sky At Night, a four-year-old bay mare, could get up in just her second race.

"We just left it to Matt (Cameron). It drew wide and she is fairly green yet so we just left it to him," she said.

"I was a bit surprised how far back we got as she was a long way off the leaders but she got into it well.

"We are a small stable so they probably don't get the following that some of the bigger stables do but she is probably the best horse we've got.

"She also won her first start when she won her first trial at Cambridge in a really strong field. She beat them nicely and we thought that's good and everything has happened for her since."

It was not the first win for the Falconer stable at Tauranga Racecourse.

"We only have six racehorses in work but we do like coming over here. It has been a good track to us. It is well set up here with the facilities for the horses."

The torrential rain that struck the Greerton area yesterday morning caused mini rivers of water running through the course facilities ahead of one of the most popular days on the Tauranga racing calendar.

But the sun came out to dry everything off in time for the first race at 12.45pm and the 1500 revellers booked in for their Christmas work celebrations had a day to remember.

Racing Tauranga's Sponsorship and Marketing Manager, Andrew Love, says it is all catered which makes it such a popular brand with corporates.

"Numbers are slightly up on last year and the festive spirit was evident. Our next Christmas At The Races is on December 23rd which is a bit more of a low key one as it is only three days away from Christmas.

"Then the second of January is a really big one with the Interislander Summer Festival with all the holiday makers. That is normally the biggest day of crowds with just on 10,000 expected."