A few weeks back this column sung the praises of the diminishing group of men and women who train thoroughbreds from their home property.
It's not an easy task to get right and they are a dying breed.
We highlighted John Morrell but there were certainly no death throes about his operation when Lauren Tate shocked everyone in winning Saturday's $100,000 Travis Stakes at Te Rapa.
There's something very heartening and traditionally Kiwiana about farmers who take their horses to the races in their work gear for the reason that it's practical.
Morrell wouldn't for a moment swap his work boots for the eye candy in the champagne bar, and the results show.
There'll be no European skiing holiday or a boat coming from this win.
Asked how he would spend the winning stake, Morrell said: "On an effluent pool I've put in on the farm."
You've gotta love it.
Ruud Awakening did not disappoint trainer Stephen Marsh with her
fighting third in Saturday's $70,000 Cambridge Breeders Stakes.
"I thought it was a really good run because she cannot bounce off a track like yesterday's," he said yesterday. "Not that the track was particularly bad, but she needs genuinely firm footing to be able to show the speed she has.
"She'll definitely go back out to the paddock again now and she'll be a better horse when she comes back in."
Unless the weather packs up completely, there were any number of horses to follow from Saturday.
Debut juvenile Turn Me Loose has a future. He paid the price for not having an educational barrier trial by wobbling around the home bend, losing 2 lengths from his handy position before finishing on strongly again to go close.
Popeye Braggins won easily enough to be set now for almost anything.
He sprinted very quickly in the home straight under Noel Harris and has finally found his strength.
If you backed Etoile Filante in the Travis Stakes you've used up a month's worth of bad luck. Another shame is that you will have to wait until next season to get it back because Dawn and Peter Williams will now spell the promising staying mare.
She will win a nice race next preparation.
The developing talent that's around at present is remarkable.
Three winners from Avondale on Friday have headlines in sight: Telepathic, Rockwell and Katie's Cove.
Telepathic will head to the Queensland Oaks and she should improve with every run from this point.
Rockwell had the glam factor about him in his stunning winning debut.
Gary Alton will have no problems placing the son of Fastnet Rock if he stays in the country.
Roger James has a beauty in Katie's Cove who couldn't go slow enough to make it two straight in the last at Avondale. She is a 3-year-old Zabeel with huge upside.
