Ngaire Buchan drove her first winner when Ruweisat Ridge prevailed by a nose at odds of 78-to-one at Forbury Park last night.
Brighton-based Buchan has been involved in the training of horses for some 20 years, working for trainers Stu Campbell, Craig Buchan (brother of her former husband) and Graeme Anderson and Amber Hoffman.
Buchan has driven at trials for several years and she decided to apply for a licence to drive in races 12 months ago.
She was having her 29th race drive.
Ruweisat Ridge is trained at Westport by Trevor Craddock, who sent the 4yr-old to Buchan and her partner Peter Connolly a week ago as there were no opportunities on the West Coast. The best effort for Ruweisat Ridge in his other 14 starts was a third.
Buchan gave him the run of the race behind pacemaker, Miss Jaycee and came along the inner.
Ruweisat Ridge, raced by Paul Craddock, of Westport and Mark Connors, of Greymouth, is a half-brother by Courage Under Fire to Clifford Jasper, who won 10 races when trained by Trevor Craddock.
Ruweisat Ridge was a prominent defence line in the Western Egyptian Desert during the World War 2 battle of El Alamein in July 1942.
The Allied forces including New Zealand repelled the Germans led by Rommell.
Buchan and Connolly raced the trotter, El Alamein, on lease from Craddock, winning two races with the gelding in 2010 and 2011.
The 3yr-old trotter Southland Reflector won against older horses last night. Southland Reflector, who was having his third start, is trained by Craig Buchan, who races him with Joint Venture Harness Bloodstock Ltd operated by Bob Page, of Blenheim and Paul Meo, of the Chatham Islands. Southland Reflector is the fifth foal of his dam, Be A Moment, who died after she left him in 2009.
Southland Reflector is from the family of millionaire trotter, Take A Moment and Bankers Moment, who won five races when trained by Buchan. Bankers Moment was raced on lease from Venture Harness Bloodstock Ltd. She is now in foal to Sundon.
Anderson and Hoffman produced Leif Erikson for an impressive first-up win last night.
The 4yr-old is raced by breeders Graeme Duggan, of Geraldine and his son, Andrew, of Melbourne.
Andrew was formerly employed by Harness Racing New Zealand as a assistant handicapper for 12 years. He is now with a betting agency.
Leif Erikson is out of Grace Olivia, who won five races when raced by the Duggans.
Wot The Owl came close to recouping his purchase price when he won the claiming race last night. The 7yr-old had been claimed for $3500 by Invercargill horseman Andrew Armour for a group of Invercargill owners at his previous start at New Plymouth on April 22. He earned $3000 last night.
Wot The Owl stormed home wide out to win by half a length.
Supreme Sign, who finished third and Cullen's Finest (last) were claimed.
Supreme Sign was claimed for $6000 by Tim Williams and his mother, Suzan. He will join the stable of Robert Dunn.
Cullen's Finest was claimed for the same price and he will transfer to Phil Burrows at Fernside.
