Ashburton lands winner with re-jigged Cup week meeting

Ashburton's new look Cup week meeting has been hailed as a big success.

"We are very happy," says Ashburton Trotting Club president Peter Larkin, "it all worked out perfectly."

The club has traditionally had a Cup week meeting though Thursday's was different with a significant increase in stakes and renewed focus on attracting the best lower grade horses to the meeting.

It was billed as a "meeting of emerging talent", with minimum stakes of $17,000 per race, up from $12,000 the previous year. A total of 103 different trainers, including nine from Southland, were represented during the 14-race programme.
 
"Every horse of every class should have the chance to race in Canterbury during Cup week," says Larkin, "and it's a buzz to win anywhere during Cup week whether it's at Addington or Ashburton."

"We really appreciate the support we got from everyone, and that includes trainers and owners and a lot of visitors from Australia who were in Christchurch for Cup week plus we have a very good committee and staff - it was a team effort," says Larkin.

The capacity and competitive fields translated into a bumper day for turnover. Total turnover was up from $1.22m on 11 races last year to $1.623m on 14 races. That equates to an average $115,000 per race. 

The highest turnover was the $144,105 wagered on Race 10, the Wakanui Ocean Beef Mobile Pace, won by Joyride. 

Matthew Williamson (pictured above) was the day's stand-out driver with a treble on the day. He won with two Brad Mowbray trained horses in The Bettor Major in Race 5, the Edward Nathan Memorial Pace, and Absolute Babe, who dead-heated with Bettor Off in Race 8, the Betavet Fillies and Mares Mobile Pace,  and also won with the David Mitchell-trained Song Sung Blue in the last of the day, the Inkwise Mobile Pace.

"We (the committee) haven't had the chance to analyse the day yet but we will definitely be building on this concept in the future," says Larkin, "we won't be sitting on our hands that's for sure."