KEY POINTS:
Michael Walker may have ridden a half kilogram over weight but that didn't stop the leading jockey producing a brilliant tactical display to steal the $65,000 Rotorua Plate with Coin Collection.
Walker rated the New Plymouth-trained gelding to perfection in front throughout the First Sovereign Trust-sponsored event and they fought on gallantly in the home stretch to win by a half-head over Dead Rabbits.
A further length away third was Figure Of Speech.
Walker controlled the race and outsprinted the opposition over the closing 600m, tracked in every stride by Jay Ford on Dead Rabbits.
The favourite, Veloce Bella, settled at the back and failed to make ground on the leaders in the home stretch.
Coin Collection has been a consistent performer on the left-handed track at Arawa Park, scoring one win and two placings from four starts. The 6-year-old is a proven on-pace runner and Walker capitalised on this style to steal the victory.
In the following event, Sardonyx was produced in prime condition by trainer Stephen McKee to overcome a four-month break from racing to score an impressive victory.
The 6-year-old settled off the pace and unleashed a blistering sprint down the outer of the track to win by a half-length over Shinko Bay with a further 1 1/2 lengths back to Veloz.
Sardonyx has been a useful performer for McKee scoring four wins and seven minor placings from 25 starts and has two wins from three starts at Rotorua.
CONFIDENCE IS a quality that leading jockey Michael Coleman has plenty of when it comes to discussing consistent race mare Irlanda.
Coleman combined with Irlanda to win the $65,000 Lion Red Plate impressively at Rotorua.
If there was ever a time when punters were going to take on the 4-year-old mare it was in yesterday's 1200m weight-for-age feature as it was her second start in a new campaign.
However one person was sitting confidently in the corner of Irlanda - Matamata-based Coleman who was glowing in his praise of the mare.
Coleman had Irlanda handily placed three deep on the inner and calmly worked clear in the home stretch sprinting powerfully to score a half-length victory over Kays Awake.
Rabkalajo was the same margin away third.
"Irlanda is a very genuine mare and she gives 100 per cent every time she steps onto the racetrack," said Coleman. "She has a good turn of foot when you ask her to sprint and she can race handy to the speed. With her good racing manners and sprinting ability she's always going to put herself in with a winning chance."
There was some concern as the Lance Noble-trained mare had been aimed first-up over 1300m and was dropping back in distance.
"She really knuckled down and chased the leaders when we got some clear racing space."
Coleman believes Irlanda will be difficult to beat in the Auckland Thoroughbred Breeder Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe Park.
She easily handled that distance when fourth behind Princess Coup in the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic.
