Not only did junior driver Katie Cox produce an excellent drive to win the 4 and 5yr-old championship, but Samantha Ottley made history in the first race of the night.
Ottley (23) became the first female junior driver in New Zealand harness racing history to post 100 career wins when she steered Gogirl Bromac to victory in the non-winners' trot.
Ottley has been in stellar form in the past two seasons, with 34 victories in 2012-13, and is now sitting on 30 wins this season after Thursday's success behind the Michael House-trained mare.
''It's a great thrill,'' Ottley said.
''It's cold, it's wet, it's not a nice night, but when you get something like that, you don't care what you drive in.''
The increase in driving opportunities has been a result of Ottley moving from her home province of South Canterbury to work for Colin and Julie De Filippi at Lincoln, south of Christchurch.
''I can't thank Colin and Julie enough - they've been awesome to me. And the move to Canterbury was the best move I ever made really.''
The milestone had crept up on Ottley and she she was not even aware she was on the cusp of history until recently.
''I didn't actually know until I was on 99 when someone said to me `did you know you'll be the first female to achieve it?'''
While Ottley was breaking new ground, there was nothing new about Venus Serena's win in the 3yr-old fillies heat for the Nevele R series.
As ever, she was brutal in victory - sitting parked for most of the 1700m and holding off the late run of Raksdeal by 1 lengths.
Her trainer, Geoff Dunn, should be getting used to the feats of his 3yr-old star, but he was still shaking his head after Thursday's win, her first race since her Northern Oaks win in Auckland in late February.
''I gave her a couple of weeks out but she comes up really quick,'' Dunn said.
''She only had one trial and she does a lot of strong work at home but then she comes down and races like that. It's unreal.
''They've tried heaps of times to butcher her, but they don't seem to be able to do it.''
Dunn believes Venus Serena's unshakeable will to win has a lot to do with her record which now sits at 12 wins from 17 starts with $512,397 in stakes to her name.
Dunn said a visit to the Rangiora workouts in January was the perfect example of her tenacity.
''Gerard O'Reilly drove her for me because Johnny [Dunn] couldn't make it,'' he said.
''I said to Gerard to just give her a nice run because she'll be short [of a run]. She went a 1.57 mile rate -
Smolda beat her by a head. They were about 15 lengths and 26 lengths ahead of the other two and Gerard said she just gave him an unbelievable feeling.
''She must have the ticker. She has a big heart.''
The 2yr-old fillies series heat went the way of Katy Perry, who maintained her unbeaten record after two starts at Forbury Park.
