Vintage Cheddar is on his way back to the scene of his brilliant New Zealand Cup Week double after scoring a deserved win in the Winton Cup on Saturday.
The Alister Black-trained pacer took full advantage of a perfect trip handed to him by driver Brent Barclay to turn the tables on his fellow Southland stars U May Cullect and Pembrook Playboy to win the 2400m feature.
It was Vintage Cheddar’s turn to take home the silverware on Saturday after finishing second in the Riverton Cup to U May Cullect and second to Pembrook Playboy in the Northern Southland Cup.
It means he will take winning form back to Addington when he returns for the Easter Cup early next month.
"It was a beautiful drive by Brent.
‘‘He just got in front of That Alexander Guy before they hit that first bend and that put the likes of U May Cullect and Pembrook Playboy another spot further back," Black said.
"It was perfect, really."
"We will have a go at the Easter Cup. I think there are a couple of free-for-alls up there for him."
U May Cullect (30m) and Pembrook Playboy (40m) went big races after being slow away from the tapes.
Both produced scintillating closing sectionals wide on the track as Vintage Cheddar charged home in 56.4sec (800m) and 27.3sec (400m).
Plutonium Lady made her long trek to the meeting worthwhile when turning the Southern Belle Speed Series Final into a one-act affair.
The winner of her last two starts at Alexandra Park made it a hat-trick of feature mares’ races when running away from her rivals after leading throughout.
Driver Sam Ottley credited trainer Mark Jones for having the 4yr-old in peak condition.
"She certainly doesn’t mind racing and travelling, that’s for sure, and she is thriving off it."
"Mark has done a great job. She is racing super and she has been anywhere and everywhere and to keep her at that level is a great effort."
Plutonium Lady stopped the clock in 1.54.2 to notch the best time of her career and boost her future broodmare credentials with her three-and-three-quarter-length victory.
Dunedin trainer Darryn Simpson produced his first quinella when Emdeegee and Zealous Spur ran one-two in the junior drivers trot.
Emdeegee came into the race on the back of a 20-length maiden victory at Oamaru and backed up that performance when scoring by half a length over his stablemate.
"He has just taken a while and he has had a few issues here and there that weren’t helping him," Simpson said.
‘‘But we seem to be getting on top of him.
‘‘We always knew he could run."
Sarah O’Reilly had Emdeegee in front throughout to notch her 30th driving win of the season.
