Counter Punch was bred by Brian Anderton, Jack Mears and Dennis Roughan.
He is an 8yr-old by Yamanin Vital from Tripartite.
Counter Punch was the second last foal of Tripartite, who died in 2002.
Counter Punch was purchased by trainer Mark Oulaghan for $6000 at the South Island Sale of 2yr-olds, held during the Grand National meeting in 2002.
Counter Punch added to the fine record in jumping races for his sire Yamanin Vital.
He has sired Climbing High, who won the Hawkes Bay Steeplechase on June 27.
His other feature jumping winners include Hypnotize (Great Northern Steeplechase and Pakuranga Hunt Cup, twice) and Yourtheman Waikato Hurdles, 2008).
The win earned Oulaghan glowing praise from Tom Hazlett, the rider of Counter Punch, considering there had been doubt about the horse handling the very heavy track conditions.
"I've said this before and I'll say it again, the bloke's a genius," Hazlett said of Oulaghan.
"This horse doesn't handle heavy ground but he was just so much fitter than everything else."
Counter Punch was travelling so easily that he strode to the lead with 1000m to run.
His only challenger in the straight was Arrastra but he was comfortably held at bay by three and a-half lengths.
There was 25 lengths to third-placed Hypnotize.
Counter Punch has now won six of 13 hurdles races.
He won the New Zealand Grand National Hurdles in 2007.
Oulaghan has the $57,500 Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) at Riccarton on August 8 as a target.
Counter Punch won his only steeplechase start, the Homeby Steeplechase at Riccarton on June 4.
Just Not Cricket was put down after landing awkwardly after the third fence.
Jonathan Riddell, his rider, was taken to hospital.
Just Not Cricket won a Grand National Hurdles and two Great Northern Hurdles.
The 11yr-old won $233,000 from 11 wins from the Paul Nelson stable.
Joanne Moss stepped out of the shadows into the spotlight with the win of Triplepan in the $50,000 Wellington Steeplechase.
Moss has been training for about 12 years but is known almost as much for being a behind-the-scenes worker in the operation of Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers.
Based at Gisborne, with access to Makaraka for beach training, she does preparatory work with a number of the Myers horses before they enter full training.
Consequently she has handled many of his top jumpers as well as New Zealand Derby winner of last year, C'est La Guerre.
On Saturday the honours were with Moss although a link with Myers was still in the background.
Moss' father, Barrie, purchased Triplepan from Myers after Moss had lost one of her favourite jumpers, His Lordship, to injury.
She was devastated by the loss but Myers came to the party with the offer of Triplepan who at the time was an unraced 2yr-old.
"Kevin said I've got one in the paddock for you," Moss said.
Triplepan paid his way before taking on jumping.
He has five wins on the flat and now has three wins and three placings from 11 starts as a steeplechaser.
Last year, he won the $30,000 Manawatu Steeplechase, the start after winning his maiden steeplechase.
Triplepan preceded the win on Saturday with a second in the Hawkes Bay Steeplechase but was sent out a sixth favourite in a field of 11 to pay $10.10.
He was ridden by Moss' partner, Isaac Lupton, and settled well back before improving quickly as the field moved from the figure-of-eight course to the main track for about the last 400m.
Triplepan had joined pacemaker Monymony and Willie Winit to make a line of three at the last fence but finished the stronger to win by a length and a-quarter.
Third favourite Willie Winit held second with six lengths to second favourite Nana who ran into third.
Monymony was three lengths back fourth.
Lupton (30), is compiling an excellent record.
He has won the Wellington Steeplechase twice, the previous with Black Eagle in 2007.
He has also won two Great Northern Steeplechases (both on Hypnotize), a Grand National Steeplechase (Gaucho Bastido), a Great Eastern Steeplechase in South Australia (Blase)) and four Pakuranga Hunt Cups.
There is also an additional family link to the Wellington Steeplechase.
Lupton's father Craig trained the 1996 winner Hadfield.
The favourite Mikemendaad was a fair fifth.
Fourth favourite The Jolly Dancer was pulled up a long way from the finish and is to be the subject of an adjourned inquiry.
Chief stipendiary steward Reid Sanders said The Jolly Dancer was found to be have respiratory problems.
Sanders only found out after the race the horse had veterinary treatment following last-start failure.
