The reinsman combined with Ascot Park trainers Mark and Debbie Shirley to win with Cullen’s Avenue and Mighty Conqueror.The double provided Walkinshaw with a chance to end his season on a much higher note than the low he was struck with in November.
A horrific crash on the same track left the horseman with four separate fractures in his skull — one at the back of his head and three areas on his face.
"The season has been rounded off quite nicely," Walkinshaw said.
"The crash wasn’t the best, but we have come through it all right and getting a couple of nice drives, like Mighty Conqueror, you really enjoy being out there."
Thankfully the driver made a full recovery from his injuries, which do not cause him any more problems.
"Everything has been pretty good. I never really suffered too much. I didn’t have headaches or anything like that. I just had dizziness for about a month or six weeks."
Mighty Conqueror showed how far he has come in his short career by beating a field of older horses in race 8.
The 3yr-old scored his 2200m victory in a respectable 2.43.9 time on the rain-affected Ascot Park track.
"Definitely in four starts he has jumped up a fair way, really. To jump up to race horses like Especial and Young Conqueror, he won it quite nice," Walkinshaw said.
Mighty Conqueror scored by three-quarters of a length from his older half-brother, Yooung Conqueror, with Especial finishing in third. Cullens Avenue capped four placings to score a deserved win in race 5 for Walkinshaw and the Shirleys.
Most except for the judge thought Walkinshaw had got the horse to the post first in his previous start at Gore, but he was denied by the narrowest of margins by Whata Razzle Dazzle and Matthew Williamson.
"He has been going quite good. Matty just got me on the line the other day. He has been racing well so he deserved one," Walkinshaw said.
Their two winners provided Mark and Debbie Shirley’s training partnership with their first training double in five seasons of training together.
The wins took their season’s tally to eight wins, five wins more than their previous best. Motu Top Mach followed in the footsteps of star 4yr-old Eamon Maguire when winning race 4.
Westwood Beach Graeme trainer only rarely lines up 2yr-olds but started a brilliant-looking type when he stepped out Eamon Maguire to win in July two years ago.
Motu Top Mach joined him on Anderson’s short list of recent 2yr-old winners with a commanding win by nearly five lengths.
The pacer looks a massive chance to notch more wins at Forbury Park before the season is over. Anderson purchased Motu Top Mach for just $8000 after training his half-sister, Motu Moonbeam.
"She was the reason I bought this one," he told NZ Harness News.
"He’ll grow some more but he’s well rounded."
