KEY POINTS:
Jockey Kate Hercock defied the pattern of racing at Ruakaka yesterday and stuck to the inside rail in the home stretch with the front-running Adorn to score a determined victory.
Adorn and Hercock were lonely figures in the home stretch electing to stay against the inside rail while the opposition spread out aggressively wider out on the track in search of better footing.
The locally-trained race mare showed plenty of courage when it mattered scoring by 1 1/4 lengths over the solid closing Stabinthedark with a further three-quarters of a length back to Sand Hawk (third).
Adorn has been a good performer on her home track. She has scored two wins and two minor placings from eight starts for trainers Donna, Dean Logan and Chris Gibbs.
ICEFYRE WAS an outstanding winner yesterday, effortlessly overpowering his rivals in the $15,000 Coastal Land Sales 1400.
Jockey Mark Hills pulled the 5-year-old to the outside of the track at the top of the home straight and this combination effortlessly reeled in the leaders. They eased down at the finish to score by 4 1/4 lengths over Orsome Grace with a further half-length back to Fibulater (third).
Pukekohe Park-based trainer Craig Ritchie has a promising sprinter under his care and will not take long to add to a useful career record of three wins and one second placing from 11 starts.
RUAKAKA IS becoming a popular track for former Hong Kong-trained galloper Who Knows.
The 7-year-old Cape Cross-sired gelding has scored three of four New Zealand wins at Ruakaka and showed plenty of fight lumping 58kg to win narrowly by a long head over Tuscany Dancer. Gaze was a further half-length away in third position.
