RACING - Winter race series gets off to a roaring start

Whangarei Racing Club could not have asked for a better start to the first of this year's winter race series at Ruakaka, with full race fields, ideal weather and track conditions - and a jovial 1500 punters in attendance.
Ruakaka race course hosted trainers from around the North Island yesterday, with 200 horses nominated for 10 races.
An extra race was added to the original programme to cater for the large number of nominations.
About 36 local horses ran yesterday with mixed results.
However, for trainer Michelle Marshall, it was a memorable day.
Marshall, who works for Logan Racing Stables at Ruakaka, had her first win as a trainer yesterday after obtaining her licence only two months ago.
Shouldilaughorcry, ridden by Danielle Johnson, stormed home for a win in The Northern Advocate 2100m.
"He's had four starts for a third and a win over this distance," she said about the gelding she partly owns with father Murray Marshall and Christine Dobbs.
Marshall entered the racing game following in the footsteps of family members who have dabbled in training in the past.
It would hopefully be the first win of many, she said.
Whangarei racing chairman Dean Logan said throughout the year about 30 per cent of the horses in the race fields at Ruakaka were local, and produced a steady success rate.
"Todd McDonald also had a win here today [yesterday] - he brings his horse into train on this track from Takahiwai every morning," Logan said.
The McDonald-trained Sir Cayden took out the Cowley's Hire Centre 1200m with Moyd Yusof on board.
Meanwhile, the Donna and Dean Logan/Chris Gibbs-trained Jet Setter, ridden by Allan Peard, won the Lion Red 1400m, while Kruz Beckham with Tasha Collett aboard was victorious in the Oceanz Seafood 1600m for fellow Ruakaka trainer's Kenny and Lisa Rae.
It was Pukekohe Park trainer Richard Collett, however, who won the Mr Nancho two-year-old 1000m $10,000 main feature of the day, with promising filly Poetic Music, and Richard's son Jason Collett on board.
With such a top quality track here at Ruakaka, Logan said he was not surprised by the huge interest thefirst winter meeting had attracted
"We had 15ml of rain on Saturday and 30ml on Sunday ... but the horses are still running good times," he said.
The sand-based track drained extremely well and yesterday's dead track suited most runners.
"It's taking 57 seconds to run 1000m here [yesterday] - it really is an amazing track with regards to winter racing," he said.
Whangarei Racing Club's next meeting will be run on June 17.