Just seven days after scoring her biggest win, apprentice jockey Kate Cowan again starred in the saddle at Riccarton Park on Saturday.
Cowan bagged a winning treble when Nashville backed up his Winter Cup success of last weekend with victory in Saturday’s open 1400m handicap, after earlier winning on Southern Cool and Standrews Masonic.
The evergreen Nashville took his career earnings past $965,000 after his length victory over Luke.
Whether he cracks the $1million stakes barrier or adds to his 14 wins or not, Nashville has done it all as far as Cowan is concerned.
"He’s got nothing left to prove. He’s a great horse," she said.
"I’d been riding him during the week and he’s been feeling a box of birds. He felt like he was travelling sweetly, but he did feel the ground the last 50m. He held on well — he’s so tough."
The decision of trainers Adrian and Harry Bull to line up in the 1400m open left the door open for several of Nashville’s Winter Cup rivals to make the most of his absence in the Winter Classic (1800m). But no-one reckoned on outsider The Gordonian.
After leading throughout, the Southland gelding and rider Krishna Mudhoo were headed in the home straight by favourite Doiknowyou (Lisa Allpress) near the home turn.
While The Gordonian was clearly pressured, the 9yr-old fought tenaciously and eventually wore down the favourite to claim victory for Ascot Park trainer Jo-Ann Gordon.
The win was her first for the season and first since reverting to training in a solo capacity after finishing a long-time training partnership with her father, Jack, who retired at the end of last season.Cowan figured in the win of another Southland trainer when she guided Southern Cool to victory for Mossburn’s Alan Stalker.
The timing of Southern Cool’s maiden win was appropriate as he is the first foal from 2010 Grand National Hurdles winner Joint Effort who won the Sydenham Hurdles-Grand National Hurdles double in five wins over fences.
The Desert Fox mare also won five flat races during her 76-start career.The third of Cowan’s successes came on Standrews Masonic for Ashburton trainer Cheri Trembath.
The horse had finished well back, also in rating 65 company, on the first day of the carnival.
Fellow apprentice Sarah McNab helped Whanganui trainer Kevin Myers to a perfect 10 for the three-day meeting.
Myers scored four wins on each of the first two days and two more wins on Saturday. Both Whatwedo and Tabard were ridden on Saturday by McNab, who claims 3kg.
— Jonny Turner, additional report NZ Racing Desk.