Culler Coded cuts quite a figure on the race track, but it is the fuel that goes into her - or not, in this case - which is making a difference.
The 4yr-old is a skewbald, making her a relative rarity on the race track with her white patches.
After her impressive win in the second heat of the winter sprint series at Forbury Park last night, her trainer, David Heffernan explained it was the absence of grains in her diet which seemed to be a big help.
Heffernan tidied up the mare's feet when she arrived at his Oamaru stables late last year, but he discovered cramping was stopping the daughter of American Ideal from showing her best.
"In the running, it was like she was pulling an anchor,'' he said.
"We quickly worked out she was tying up horrifically so she's actually on a grain-free diet now and that's been the turning round of her.''
Her last eight starts have produced two thirds, a fourth and two wins, and last night's win was prefaced by an unlucky sixth last week.
Developing a love of his tucker has also helped Mr Majestic, although pull-up blinds have aided Tomahawk trainer Ali Malcolmson in getting the best out of the Majestic Son 5yr-old.
"They've been on for a while now but they've probably made him kick,'' Malcolmson said.
"A couple of times, we didn't know if he was kicking quite strong enough.''
Mr Majestic set up the pace at Forbury Park on May 19 and 26, only to finish second, before a fourth last week.
But he was not to be denied last night, as he continues his steady improvement over the past couple of months.
"He's feeding a lot better so he's feeling a bit stronger as well.''
Mr Majestic has been racing for the past 3 years which is about as long as junior driver Craig Smith has been involved in the industry.
Smith (24) drove his first winner at his 29th attempt when he guided Vanhalem to a win for his employer, Robert Dunn.
Smith worked in a factory when he left Christchurch Boys' High School but followed the racing industry, so he decided to try his luck when he heard Dunn was looking for a worker.
Smith had never even touched a horse before he arrived at Dunn's stables.
"It took me two weeks to work out how to put a cover on,'' Smith said.
But he has progressed far enough in three years to be given sole responsibility of a small team of Dunn's horses based at Martin Denton's establishment at Mosgiel for the Forbury winter festival.
"It's nice of them to show a bit of trust in me.''
Dunn and his son, John, who runs the Woodend Beach arm of the training operation, have been great mentors for Smith.
"They have great support staff and are always willing to help and I can't thank them enough, really.''
