Racing: Almost Court finally lives up to promise

The story of Almost Court seems pretty obvious on first glance.

A 3yr-old by a promising young sire out of a multiple group 1 winner turns up to Wingatui yesterday and wins on debut.

Not much more to add, right? Wrong.

Broadfield trainer Brian Court bought the son of Alamosa at the 2014 select sale for $36,000 - a price some might consider a bargain considering his dam, Cinder Bella, won the 2000 Captain Cook Stakes, the 2001 Kelt Capital Stakes and five other black-type races.

The yearling came south, but the next 18 months were not plain sailing, to say the least.

''He's been a bit of a handful,'' Court explained.

"A mate of mine, Mark Smolenski, had to break him into the harness.''

Smolenski has established a well-regarded reputation breaking in young horses, most notably for the powerful All Stars Stables in the harness code.

"He did two months as a galloping pacemaker there, otherwise I don't think we would have got him to the track,'' Court said.

"But he's come to it now. He's a nice horse and will be a nice stayer.''

Almost Court was unplaced at the trials in the spring before preparing for yesterday's 1400m with trials at Ashburton and Rangiora.

"He'll just keep on improving with a bit of age and now he knows a bit more of the ringcraft.''

Court might give the gelding another run or two before turning him out.

Riverton trainer Kelvin Tyler will keep Lochan Ora going into the winter as well, after the 4yr-old recorded his third straight win with victory in the rating 75 1600m.

Lochan Ora's three wins have all come on dead tracks, but Tyler is looking forward to more rain falling in the next few months.

"He loves the cut in the track. I know it's a long way away but I reckon he would be a really nice Winter Cup horse.

"It took a while for him to switch on but he's just getting better and better every day.''

A roll of the dice by Ashburton trainers Daniel Champion and Kezia Murphy at the 2013 national weanling, broodmare and mixed bloodstock sale looked like it could have gone either way over the past three years.

But their $500 gamble on a Battle Paint weanling filly in May 2013 finally paid off yesterday at her eighth start.

Champion and Murphy had the filly up and running as a 2yr-old, winning both her trials before a sale to Singapore fell through.

The filly named Graffiti then began making a noise during her gallops, which required a wind operation halfway through her 3yr-old season.

"We put her out for a long time and just brought her back now,'' Champion said.

"She's out of a Danzero mare and has Sir Tristram in the family, so she's bred to stay all day but we were thinking with the wind operation we might not get there.''

Now a 4yr-old mare, Graffiti's win yesterday was her eighth run in this campaign.

"I might give her a run at Riccarton over 2000m then put her out. She's been up for long enough.''

Evergreen jockey Chris Johnson celebrated his 52nd birthday with wins aboard Madam Bentley and Bushido.

Balcairn trainers John and Karen Parsons prepared both horses, and also won with Father Wayne, a half-brother of their smart sprinter Querer which died in a paddock accident in February.