Racing: Ellerslie date for victorious hurdler

Coup South will compete in the $27,500 intermediate hurdles at Ellerslie on June 4 after winning at Wingatui yesterday.

He was ridden in the Ray White Real Estate Hurdles by Tommy Hazlett, who rode the Wingatui-trained Gold Jet to victory on Saturday in the Waikato Steeplechase.

"He [Coup South] got in close to a couple but overall jumped lovely," Hazlett. "He'll improve a huge lot with that run."

It was Coup South's second start in a new campaign for North Canterbury trainers John and Karen Parsons.

John and Peter Lyons of Alexandra own the Stark South 7-year-old gelding, who was having his first outing over hurdles.

Before resuming at Riccarton on April 16, Coup South, who has three flat wins to his name, had been turned out for a year because of a leg injury.

"If he goes well in Auckland we'd look at taking him to Australia," trainer Karen Parsons said.

Work experience in the Parsons stable has helped the training career of Kiel Wilson, of Riverton.

Wilson recorded his first training success when Red Planet won the Coasters Tavern Maiden.

"John Parsons taught me a lot and so did [Waikato trainer] John Sargent," Wilson said.

Wilson was granted a trainer's licence in January and is preparing six horses at Riverton.

Wilson and friend Paul Munro, of Dunedin, bought Red Planet as a maiden for $500 at the Karaka Spring Sale last year. The Soviet Star gelding had not shown form in six starts for Tauranga trainer Jim Pender.

Red Planet ran third at the Winton trials last week ago and had blinkers added yesterday.

Hong Kong owner Roger Lam won the Abbey Lodge Sprint with his Magic Of Sydney filly Art Scene, who wore blinkers for the first time.

"We found out after she raced last time [that] she was in season and in the start before that she ran around a bit," Winton co-trainer Brendon Black said.

Art Scene is likely to return to Wingatui for the Otago Racing Club's meeting on June 5.

Stablemate Art Features, also owned by Lam, leaves for Hong Kong today after winning two of four starts for Black and Brian Ridley.

Margenie, closely related to former top galloper A Gordon For Me, relished the heavy ground to win the Wharf Hotel Maiden.

The 3-year-old Generous filly is out of Marjie Marjie, a half-sister to A Gordon For Me, who recorded 26 wins.

Margenie is owned in Ashburton by Gordon Johnson and trained at Wingatui by Brian and Shane Anderton. Pony-size Margenie was ridden by the Andertons' apprentice, Taz Salleh.

Mactomack notched her third win in 24 starts in the Occidental Tourist at Java Lodge Handicap.

The success brought up the fourth career win of Wingatui apprentice Chris Chambers, who is indentured to trainer Hec Anderton.

- NZPA