Double delight for Samantha Collett at Hawke's Bay

Rocky, ridden by Hastings-born jockey Aaron Kuru, puts in a magnificent leap on his way to winning the maiden hurdle race at last week's Hawke's Bay meeting.

Trainer Guy Lowry praised jockey Samantha Collett after she produced two excellent winning rides aboard stablemates Pakapunch and Worldclass at last week's Hawke's Bay meeting.

Collett produced a great front-running ride to get Pakapunch home a narrow winner in the Rating 75 race over 1200m.

The Per Incanto mare has to be ridden on the pace to produce her best and Collett bounced her out quickly from the barrier to take a clear lead at the end of the first 200 metres. From then on she kept the horse rolling along at a steady clip before asking her to extend rounding the home bend.

Pakapunch had a two-length advantage over her rivals inside the final 200 metres and although she was starting to take short strides late, she managed to hold on for a nose victory over the fast-finishing Malacanto.

It was Pakapunch's third win from only 11 starts. She was bred by Tony Rider, who owns the Pak'NSave supermarket in Cambridge and is a member of the Pak'NSave Syndicate that races the mare.

Lowry said Pakapunch is now likely to be turned out for a winter spell as she has shown a dislike to rain-affected tracks.

"We were a bit worried the dead-5 track wouldn't suit her today but she got away with it and it was a great ride from Samantha Collett," Lowry said.

If Collett's ride on Pakapunch was a good one, her performance aboard Worldclass in the Rating 65 1400 was even better.

The Iffraaj mare drew wide in the 1400m event and Collett restrained her to the back for a start but then found herself caught three-wide, without cover, with her mount wanting to race too keenly.

Instead of fighting her mount Collett used her initiative to let Worldclass roll around the field to be in a challenging position on the home turn, and the mare kept up a strong run to the line to win by a head from Royal Ruby, with O'Ceirins Choice a long neck back in third place.

Worldclass is owned by her Feilding-based breeder Mary Wilson and Lowry had a special thank you for Porangahau-based Mary Darby, who had spent several weeks working the horse at her beach property to help prepare her for last Thursday's race.

Win was a pleasant surprise

Hastings-trained Moscow Princess recorded an impressive debut win at last week's Hawke's Bay meeting but the performance came as a bit of a shock for her connections.

The Road To Rock filly scored a decisive 1-3/4 length win in a maiden 1400m event after doing a lot wrong during the race. She was last on settling and then wanted to over-race badly in the middle stages, with rider Chris Johnson having great difficulties trying to restrain her.

Moscow Princess had moved up to be within striking distance of the leaders on the home turn but many, including her connections, thought she had burnt up too much energy by going too keenly in the early stages.

However Johnson still had plenty of horse under him once the field straightened for the run home and Moscow Mistress maintained a strong finish to win by 1 3/4 lengths from Normandy, with Crafty Jess a long head back in third place.

Moscow Princess is prepared by Hastings trainer John Bary who races the horse in partnership with his racing manager Mike Sanders and long-time client Ivan Grieve.

The three men raced Miss Faberge, the dam of Moscow Mistress, and she won four races.

"Miss Faberge was a tough mare but was always a bit small, but this filly looks to have a bit more size about her," Sanders said.

"To be honest the win was a bit of a shock. She won a jumpout here the other week but I thought if she could finish in the top five I would be happy. And when she was pulling her block off going down the back straight I thought she was no hope."