French Desire started her career on a winning note at Forbury Park last night.
The 7yr-old mare is raced by her Tomahawk trainer-driver Ali Malcolmson, who leases the daughter of Britewell from the estate of Jim Murray, the former Mosgiel veterinarian.
French Desire is bred to trot, being a daughter of Bouquet d'Etoile, who left Superstaragogo, the winner of eight races from the Tapanui stable of Alan Shaw.
Superstaragogo is the dam of Superstarourwishes, who recorded her seventh win last night from the Shaw stable. Five of those wins have been at Forbury Park.
Superstarourwishes is raced by Shaw, his wife Valda, and Maureen Frith of Dunedin.
Bouquet d'Etoile was by Plat du Jour from Framalda.
Framalda (Tuft-Dianthus Girl) was a talented trotting mare in the 1970s, winning 22 races from the Roy and Barry Purdon stable.
• Vic N Art lived up to his trial win on Tuesday at Oamaru when he beat the hot favourite, Matt Maguire, in the final race last night.
It was the sixth win for the Captain Rufus 6yr-old, who along with his stablemate, Motu Speedy Star, will have his next start in a 3200m race at Addington on Show Day, next Friday.
"The horse has been holding his breath and we tried a tongue tie on him tonight which seemed to work," Eion Latimer, his Oamaru trainer, said.
Latimer bought the horse as a 1-win 4yr-old from Alan Paisley, the Invercargill trainer.
Latimer races the gelding with his wife, Pat, and children Jacqui and Brent.
• Presidential Honour enhanced the splendid record of his dam, Royal Honour, when he won his third race last night for Waimate trainer Deidre Brown.
Royal Honour has left the winners Royal Courage (9 wins), Our Riki (3), Our Fred (5), Royal Rascal (5) and Jagged Account (9).
• Allen Edwards, of Port Chalmers, a member of the 50-person Met Seven Syndicate, was on hand to see Belkmyster win his first race at his seventh start last night.
Belkmyster, a 3yr-old son of Mach Three who was bought at the yearling sales by his trainer, Cran Dalgety, was suited by the 2200m against lesser opposition and saved for a final sprint.
Armbro Operative, the dam of Belkmyster, is a daughter of Cash Asset, the dam of Happy Asset, the winner of 14 races.
Edwards had his first win as co-owner with Dave Hannah of the trotter Come Here, who won five races from the stable of Derek Jones in the 1970s.
Edwards has had success with other Met syndicate horses including Likmesiah, who won 13 races including the New Zealand Derby; Texas Hold Em (8 wins) and Western Flare (10 wins).
