The running of yesterday's Waikouaiti Trotting Cup could have easily been mistaken for a scene out of a hurdle race.The conditions were the same as the horses would encounter in a mid-winter jumping race and the field similarly strung out at the finish.
The race was also run over the comparable distance of 3200m, which meant some horses were almost down to a walk as they crossed the line.
There were no fences to jump, but the wet patches dotted at intervals around the track provided enough of a challenge.
That was the case for the winner Valmagne who proved the best of the seven runners at slogging through the puggy Waikouaiti track to win.
``His staying ability probably got him there, but he wasn't too good in the soft patches,'' driver Ricky May said.
``He was good when we got on to the better going, but then he struggled when I hit the wet patches.''
That was evident when Valmagne looked to battle coming up to the home turn. By then, the race was down to two winning chances as he and Playboy's Brother gapped their five rivals.
Once into the straight and into the slightly firmer Waikouaiti passing lane Valmagne sprinted past Playboy's Brother to win.
The Waikouaiti Trotting Cup was ran as a trotting race this year as it failed to attract enough runners to be run as it usually is for pacers.
Leading drivers described yesterday's conditions as some of the toughest they have encountered recently.
The puggy nature of the surface meant hooves sank into the track and it took an extra effort from the horses to pull them out again.
The conditions added to what was an extraordinary two-day meeting for the Waikouaiti Harness Racing Club.
Rain in the lead-up to the meeting spoiled the club's track and meant there were some unusual sights over its two rescheduled race days.
Among the strangest of those was the sight of dozens of seagulls feasting on freshly dug up worms that horses had helped bring to the surface of the track.
The birds were sent scattering each time the horses passed the winning post and some drivers were unlucky, or possibly lucky enough to be left covered in their droppings as they flew out of the way of the horses.
Canterbury trainer David Thompson's horses showed they were some of the best at handling the testing Waikouaiti conditions.
He produced Stompem, who drove through a flock of scampering seagulls, to win race 4. Thompson grabbed the second leg of a training double when Mr Slick claimed race 8
