Sam Drake rode her first winner over fences in New Zealand aboard Guananjuato in a maiden hurdles after falls in her two other rides yesterday.
Drake (26) has ridden two winners over fences in England. She came to New Zealand for the first time last winter but broke her wrist after two rides.
She then returned home to Yorkshire for the summer. She is back with the stable of Pam Gerard at Ashburton.
"Tom Hazlett has been a big help with my riding," Drake said.
Hazlett, the now retired jumps rider, is the partner of Gerard, the trainer of Guananjuato.
The rising 6yr-old Don Eduardo gelding was having his third start over hurdles. He was bought by Peter Lyon, of Alexandra, 14 months ago.
Guananjuato had won a 2200m maiden flat race at Paeroa when trained at Matamata by Andrew Scott.
"He [Guananjuato] was bought for jumping. He showed ability on the flat for us but never quite made it," Gerard said.
Guananjuato was left in front yesterday after Single Malt crashed through the running rail at the fourth fence.
Single Malt sustained severe injuries and he was put down.
His rider, Cory Perrett, was uninjured.
Drake parted company with The Matrix in the previous race. The Matrix was in front at the fifth fence.
Drake was also dislodged from General Mac in the open hurdles.
Richard Cully and Matthew Gillies won the open steeplechase and hurdles respectively as late replacement riders for Cody Singer.
Singer and Richard Eynon both sustained concussion after falls in the maiden hurdles.
Lizac recorded his fourth successive win over country in the steeples.
Lizac settled at the rear of the five-horse field, went to the front at the third-last fence and won by six lengths.
Borrack stepped up from winning a maiden hurdles at Wingatui at his first start over fences to lead throughout the open hurdles.
"He [Borrack] is a very intelligent jumper with a high cruising speed," Gillies said.
Gillies was originally to have ridden Jacobs River, who was scratched due a bruised foot.
Singer was riding Butch James, who was brought down at the second fence in the maiden steeples.
Eynon was dislodged from Real Chance at the fourth fence in the same race.
The maiden steeples was won by Daatldomee, owned and trained at Rangiora by Jean Schluter.
"I vowed not to have another jumper but Missy Browne, who rode my last, Oxford Don, suggested this horse," Schluter said.
Schluter won two hurdles races with Cuchulainn, who carried on to win the 2003 Grand National Steeplechase when trained by Bob Autridge at Matamata.
• Lionel Dobbs had his first win as a trainer when Mantova led all the way in a 1400m maiden.
Dobbs and his wife, Janine, bought Mantova for $700 eight weeks ago at a Karaka dispersal sale of the Dormello Stud operated by Graeme Rogerson. Mantova had one placing in seven starts.
"We wanted another of the progeny of Howbaddouwantit," Mrs Dobbs said.
Lionel, a son of Graeme Dobbs, has been training for 12 months. He has six horses in work at Orari.
• Seven jockeys were charged with using modified safety vests at the Oamaru meeting yesterday.
The charges will be dealt with by the Judicial Control Authority at Waimate on Sunday.
The connections of Switch were advised that the gelding would have to school in company before racing again.
Switch attempted to run off at the fence by the 1500m in the maiden steeples and he was pulled up at the 400m.
The jockeys Corey Brown and Glyn Schofield were fined for wearing modified vests in trials at Rosehill on Tuesday, AAP reports. Brown was fined $A600 ($NZ778) and Schofield $A400.
Brown admitted being in possession of a vest that had a piece of foam removed from the tail. He said it was to make the vest more comfortable.
Brown was fined $A1000 last month for using a modified vest at Canterbury.
