KEY POINTS:
Extreme patience and incredible training skills took Strapped For Cash to a one-sided victory in the $80,000 Taumarunui Cup at Te Rapa yesterday.
Strapped For Cash was a 100-1 shot to make it back to the racetrack a year ago after breaking a leg in a training accident. Te Aroha owner-trainer David Smyth showed patience and enlisted the aid of other skilled horse people to nurse Strapped For Cash back to racing when many thought the gelding was finished.
Strapped For Cash left no excuses for the opposition in the listed event, sitting handy to the leaders before unleashing a staggering home stretch sprint in extreme winter conditions.
Winning jockey Michelle Wenn eased the 5-year-old down at the finish to score by 6 1/2 lengths over Our Showboat with a further 1 3/4 lengths back to Sand Hawk.
Strapped For Cash was having his fifth race start back following a lengthy spell due to that leg injury and was trained to the moment by Smyth.
With six wins and one minor placing from 16 starts, Strapped For Cash, won with such authority that Smyth now has the luxury of having an in-form winter star in his stable but limited racing options.
NOEL HARRIS joined the elite riding club of 2000 career wins in New Zealand when teaming up with Beau Casual to take out the $45,000 1400 Open Handicap.
Harris gave Beau Casual a perfect sit behind the pace-setting favourite The Cosmob and pounced quickly on the home turn lasting gallantly to win by a length over the fast-closing Jacowils with a further neck back to Danz Star.
It was not a classic Harris ride but more an indication of the style needed to combat the heavy track conditions as runners on the speed dominated the early part of the programme.
Harris has fashioned an outstanding career as one of New Zealand's most successful jockeys with his tradesman-like late finishing bursts to win a stack of Group One feature races.
Beau Casual has been a useful performer for Rotorua-based trainer Bill Pomare, scoring six wins and six minor placings from 50 starts.
Winter track conditions are a favoured racing surface for the 5-year-old mare, four wins and five minor placings from 17 starts.
Harris was back in the winner's circle in the following event when kicking home the John Sargent-trained Chatter Box to score a narrow victory.
Chatter Box sat three wide in the middle of the field virtually throughout the running and powered to the lead wide out on the home turning lasting narrowly to hold out the fast finishing Krash by a long head.
A further 1 1/4 lengths away third was Daraldo.
