The North Taieri-based Denton won with Mum Beat Lyall, whom he trains and races in partnership with Garry Clarke, of Dunedin.
Denton (58) only secured a licence to drive in races on August 1, the start of the season. He has been driving in trials for several years.
It was only his second race drive.
"I got the licence mainly to drive the trotters. You do a lot of work with them and get to know them," he said.
Mum Beat Lyall settled 11th after starting from 20m. Denton improved her three-wide from the 700m and she sustained the effort to win by a length and a-quarter.
Idle Maple, the pre-post favourite, was declared a scratching after the race. The stewards established that Idle Maple had her leg over the gaiting strap when she went off stride at the start.
Kelly Evander was stood down from racing for 28 days and must give two satisfactory trials if she is to race again. She finished 11th, 23 lengths from Mum Beat Lyall.
The 11yr-old mare, owned and trained by Brian O'Connor, has yet to win a race in 158 starts.
"Her performance was unsatisfactory and it is time to call it a day," Paul Knowles, the stipendiary steward, said.
• Trainer Graeme Anderson had mixed fortunes last night. He produced Yokozuna to win but he was fined $600 on a charge of misconduct dating back to a meeting at Forbury Park in April. He was also ordered to pay $200 costs to the Judicial Control Authority. The charge related to the language he used.
Anderson, who trains Yokozuna with Amber Hoffman, said he was thrilled for Jason Noakes, the junior driver who handled the 8yr-old gelding last night.
It was eighth win for Yokozuna in 12 starts since he commenced racing five months ago. Yokozuna has been driven in his other races by Dexter Dunn (six wins) and Ricky May.
Yokozuna returned a smart 2.42 (1.58.5 mile rate) for the 2200m mobile), the last 800m in 56.7.
• Sunnivue Ted was within 0.7sec of the track record for a trotter over 2200m when he overcame a 40m handicap to win in 2.49.2.
"He will go to the Banks Peninsula Cup now. He loves the grass. He clipped a wheel when he missed at Methven at his previous start," Steve Ashton, his trainer, said.
Blair Orange had the drive last night. Ashton said Craig Thornley would be back in the sulky at Motukarara. Thornley was suspended for a month at the Australasian Breeders' Crown.
• Baileys Dream will miss the New Zealand Cup in November through a suspensory ligament injury.
The problem was confirmed yesterday after a scan of the leg.
"He has a suspensory ligament problem in a hind leg and we will just work through the treatment process," Robert Famularo, the owner of Baileys Dream, said last night.
"The New Zealand Cup is out but we hope to get him back to the races."
The injury-plagued Baileys Dream returned to racing as an 8yr-old in February after 13 months on the sideline. He won at Addington in March for Kaiapoi trainer Brendon Hill, taking his record to 23 wins and $1,232,731 in stakes.
