The 9yr-old Peter Porter, ridden by Awapuni apprentice Ryan Hurdle, held off the fast-finishing Danz A Rook at the finish of the 1600m.
Peter Porter had won the race last year. The previous horse to win successive Winton Cups was Trelay, who won the race three times in a row from 1970 when ridden by Ali Robinson.
Trelay was trained by Hector Anderton. The race was then over 2000m and the meeting was held at Invercargill in 1971 and 1972.
• Grant Laursen, the Foxton trainer, has been fined $600 and ordered to pay $450 costs after he admitted failing to obtain a medical certificate to resume riding.
He sustained concussion on September 17 and he was ordered by a stipendiary steward not to ride for the mandatory three weeks until October 8. He was found riding on October 4.
He was charged by the Racing Integrity Unit and the charge was heard by the Judicial Control Authority.
• Workforce, the winner of the 2010 English Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, has been retired to stud. The 4yr-old will stand at Shadai Farm in Japan.
• Horses who make the final field for the Dunstan Championship at Ellerslie during the summer generally show good staying potential.
Prairie Star, who finished sixth to So Pristine in the final on New Year's Day, could confirm that by winning the $100,000 Counties Cup today.
She qualified for the final by winning her heat over 2100m on Boxing Day and is as underrated as her Cambridge trainer Anne Herbert.
• Additional information for the meetings today:
Counties RC
Rider
Race 6: Blinding - N Harris.
Scratchings
Race 4: Blinding, Leonucasam.
Race 5: Gunna.
Race 6: Floria.
Race 10: Chaparrone.
Weather, fine; track, good (3); rail, true.
Masterton RC
Weather, fine; track, dead (4); rail, true.
Oamaru HRC
Scratchings
Race 4: Royal Pilot, False Promise, Tower Of Song.
Race 6: Charlie Wright.
Race 8: Our Kosta, McArdle's Reward.
Weather, showery; track, grass (good).
