The Jereme's Jet 4yr-old worked overtime to get to the lead after 500m of the 1700m sprint, but showed plenty of energy reserves to hold off the late bids of Woodlea DJ and Odette Jaccka.
The mare, bred by the Donaldsons, was a $15,000 purchase at the 2012 New Zealand yearling sales, but the Donaldsons - husband Allan, wife Jenny and daughter Sarah - were offered the mare to race on lease after former trainer Kirk Larsen suggested she needed some time.
That patience appears to have worked, as Kiwi Focus has now won her past three starts, including last night's final, and has provided the Donaldsons with plenty of thrills along the way.
''Has she ever - and do we need them,'' Jenny Donaldson said.
''She's a little bottler and I couldn't believe it - three in a row.''
Trainer-driver Nathan Williamson knew the lead would not be easy to obtain, but was impressed with the tenacious qualities of his mare.
''She did a bit, didn't she?'' he said.
''But I was pleased with the way she hung on. She was pretty tough.
''It was great to get that win - being a four-win mare in that grade, she gets in well into that series.''
Highview Illusion looks like another smart pacer out of Graeme Anderson's Westwood Beach stables after a tough win in his maiden event last night.
The son of Bettor's Delight sat parked for all of the 2200m journey, but kept giving at the line, winning by 1 lengths over a much-improved Altar Ego.
''He had the audacity to prick his ears at the line too,'' Anderson said.
''He's going to be a really nice horse and he still doesn't know what it's all about.''
Anderson followed up with a win to favourite Highview Anwell in the $11,000 claimers series final, in a slick time of 2.40.9 for the 2200m.
As is the nature of claiming races, Highview Anwell was claimed for $10,000 by Regan Todd on behalf of Canterbury trainer Bob Butt.
But Anderson knows the claiming system works because horses move on, and was happy to farewell the rising 6yr-old after eight wins from 15 starts.
''We've had about a $28,000 [return in] three weeks for him,'' Anderson said.
''That's three winning cheques and a $10,000 claim. He races sounder than he works so, hopefully, someone has a really good time with him.''
Anderson added a third win for the night with Onedin Mach, driven by Nathan Williamson, who beat home the Dexter Dunn-driven Starsky's Dream.
Dunn drove both Highview-prefixed horses, as well as Lauras Legacy in race 1, to take his season tally to 199.
His 200th win - the fourth time he has hit the double ton in his career - came in race 9 behind Give Me Strength in the feature trot, although trainer Noel Taylor was just pleased to get the 7yr-old gelding back to the races.
''He's gone sore four or five times - I've lost count.''
