Rudkin took only one horse, Ina Jam, to the meeting and the Duke of Marmalade mare duly justified her favouritism to win the opening race, a maiden 2200m.
Twenty-one of her 23 starts had been in the North Island.
The 5yr-old settled beautifully in the running for Terry Moseley.
''She travelled the best of any of them,'' Rudkin said.
He was also pleased for Ina Jam's co-owner, Auckland businessman Terry Lines, who was a great supporter and sponsor of racing, he said.
• Sometimes even the most experienced and capable of trainers can be perplexed by a horse.
Wingatui trainer Joanne Hillis was left shaking her head in wonder when Agnus Brown, who started 8-8 in the betting, won the rating 65 sprint.
Hillis races the Magnus 6yr-old with partner Barry Cottle.
The mare, whom she has had since a weanling, had finished last over the same distance at Oamaru nearly a month ago, but was at the right end of the field yesterday for Moseley.
''I'd been telling her it's her last start,'' Hillis said. She had nothing in mind for the mare's next start.
''There were no forward plans made,'' Hillis said. Her own immediate plans centre not on horses but a holiday in Hawaii.
• A decision by West Melton trainers Tony and Lyn Prendergast to start San Michele over 1400m paid off in style.
The Edenwold mare was impressive in clearing maiden ranks in the hands of Toni Direen, for Mosgiel owner-breeder Dave Morris.
Tony Prendergast said they had been weighing up whether to start over 1400m or 1600m.
And it was victory despite the ride not going quite go to plan.
After drawing wide in a nine-horse field, the intention had been to jump quickly and head to the fence, hoping another runner would come around and provide cover, ''but that didn't happen,'' he said.
Instead, Direen found herself in the lead and won by more than a length.
The win was well deserved by a ''very honest'' horse, Kerry Prendergast, daughter of the trainers, said.
• Tommyra looked a stayer of promise by the way he cleared maiden ranks in a 1600m race.
The Raise The Flag 4yr-old is trained at Ashburton by Daniel Champion and Kezia Murphy for Doug Robb, formerly of Chertsey and now retired in the Far North.
It was Robb's first foray into thoroughbreds, Murphy said.
Tommyra had had two placings in four starts before yesterday's win, when he charged home from the back of the field at the top of the straight in the hands of Waikato jockey Sam Collett.
The gelding had a ''terriffic nature and attitude and he wants to do it,'' a rapt Murphy said.
• Leithfield trainer Centaine Spittles took extra satisfaction from the win by She's Payback in a rating 65 2200m race.
Spittles broke the Kingmaker mare in and races the 6yr-old with her father, Paul Spittles.
''I don't do many [breakers] so that makes it special,'' she said.
• Apprentice Krishna Mudhoo (21), from Mauritius, had a day to remember when he landed his first winner in his 11th race ride.
Mudhoo triumphed in an all-the-way win on Tomm Jones for his employers, Balcairn trainers Karen and John Parsons in a maiden 1200m event.
With the emotion of the moment he celebrated with an exuberant salute which resulted in him being charged with making a celebratory gesture prior to the winning post.
Stipendiary steward Nick Ydgren said Mudhoo, who pleaded guilty, got off lightly with a fine of $100.
• Karen and John Parsons were fined $600 for presenting the wrong horse to race in race 1.
Instead of Alpine Julz being geared up, the trainers had El Jodi, one of their two runners in race 3, prepared.
The mistake was picked up by the brand inspector at the plating area, Ydgren said.
Such an incident happened only ''very, very rarely''.
- Jane Davidson
