Alan Clark, the East Taieri owner-trainer of Zoogin, bred Galaxy Hunter and sold the son of Thanksgiving and Solar System for $15,500 at the Ready To Run sale in October. The buyer was Alister Shirley, of Invercargill, who took Maurice and Isobel Green, of Invercargill, into the ownership and placed the gelding in the Makarewa stable of Nathan Williamson.
Galaxy Hunter is a half-brother to Our Solar Flare, the winner of six races in Australia after being sold by Clark.
The $2856 winning stake elevated Galaxy Hunter to eighth in order of qualification for the 12-horse Harness Jewels field at Ashburton on June 4.
"He may be out of his class in the Jewels but it is worth a shot," Williamson said.
Williamson drove Springbank Richard to win Harness Jewels events for 3 and 4yr-old trotters.
Jinga Gal moved to ninth in order of qualification for the 4yr-old trotter division with her win yesterday. She caused an upset win in the 2yr-old division of the Harness Jewels at Ashburton in 2009.
• Stephen McNally drove Cool Jaccka and Born Lucky to win yesterday in his first day back race driving since he was concussed in a fall at Rangiora on March 23. Both horses are trained by Brent White at Leeston.
• UK Connection won the race for amateur drivers yesterday in the hands of Sheldon Murtha, the harness racing television presenter. It was the first totalisator win for Murtha, who has driven some 25 winners in amateur drivers' races.
It was the second win for UK Connection in four days since he joined the Loburn stable of David Gaffaney. He took over the training and ownership of UK Connection six weeks ago. He produced the Lislea 6yr-old to win at Forbury Park on Friday night.
UK Connection had been off the winning list for 10 months. The Lislea gelding won three races when trained by David and Catherine Butt and subsequently had a stint in the stable of Denise Ottley.
Gaffaney won the 1990 Four-Year-old Championship at Forbury Park with Scots Wha Hae.
