Hi Gun gave Jonny Turner something to write about when he went back to back in the winter claimers' final after winning the series last year.

Turner, a regular contributor to the Otago Daily Times racing pages, owns the 10yr-old with his father, John, and pre-trains the gelding before sending him to Roxburgh trainers Geoff and Jude Knight for his racing campaign.

''Jonny's done a fantastic job jogging him up. He always does, and he came back big in condition,'' Geoff Knight said.

''Basically, when we get him, he just needs to start strong working.''

Hi Gun's regime consists of plenty of variety, including being ridden and some jumping.''

That's been the key to him the last couple of years - doing something different,'' Knight said.''

He loves life at our place and lives in a big paddock with his mates. He jumps around like a 2yr-old when you feed him, chases the motorbike and we just try and keep the old boy as happy as we can.''

Hi Gun has been retired twice in his career, including after last year's final, but Turner was already plotting another claiming campaign next year as he helped to take the gear off Hi Gun last night.

Knight also claimed second-placed Tagataese for $8000 after the race following a ballot.

The ageless theme continued in the other final last night, the Golden Girls series for c0-c1 pacing mares.

Shya was a late starter, debuting as a 7yr-old last month after tendon problems. She won her first start at Forbury Park on May 22, and last night's win takes her record to three wins from four starts.

Her co-breeder, Leo Enright, who was on course with his wife and part-owner, Gaye, was surprised not only by the win but the fact she ever made it to the races.

''She had a couple of goes at the trials up at Rangiora [in 2010] and then she broke down, so we brought her home and put her in the paddock and forgot about her,'' Enright said.

''We knew she would go good [last night], but I didn't think she would win.''

Shya provided co-trainer and driver Jonny Cox with one half of a driving double after he let Tandy Franco loose to win on debut in the previous race for Mosgiel pharmacist Gavin Chin.

The Lis Mara filly had plenty of ground to make up in the straight, but chewed up the deficit behind Spencer Gore like a termite in a log cabin''She probably found the line a wee bit better than I thought she would considering how wide we had to come,'' Cox said.

A $500 buy for Oamaru trainer Eion Latimer has now won two races. Spirit Of Chronos joined Latimer's stable before the Kurow meeting at Oamaru in August last year and picked up a win at Forbury Park in November.

The half-brother to the eight-win mare Star Of Isis loves to work hard in his race and the formula paid off for driver Samantha Ottley once she found a spot outside the leader with a lap to go.

''He'll stay all day,'' Latimer said.

''I don't do much with him. I galloped him for a mile and a-half [2400m] on the lead this week.

''I'll give him a spell now as he's just starting to lighten up a wee bit.''

The Latimer family are joined in the ownership by Gemma Thomson, of Glenavy.

Additional information for meetings today.-
M2 Whangarei RC
Riders
Race 2: Handsome Mates - Samantha Collett.
Race 4: Kings Call - Michelle Wenn, Luxury Liz - Reese Jones, Firostefani - Rowena Smyth (a2).
Race 5: Zankuro - Trudy Thornton, Mawah Vellous - Priscilla Schmidt (a).
Race 6: D'Cash Man - Rowena Smyth (a2), Airman - Rory Hutchings (a).
Race 7: Ryan Mark - Opie Bosson, Ason - Marco Chui.
Race 8: Radar - Priscilla Schmidt (a), Stella - Christopher Dell (a1).
Scratchings
Race 2: D'Cash Man.
Race 4: Mitcham, Grammaticus.
Race 6: Britt Ekkland, Passing Parade.
Weather, cloudy; track, dead6; rail out 1.5m.
M4 Hawkes Bay RI Weather, fine; track, slow7; rail out 7.5m.