Life's a beach for winning Otago veterans

The beach-trained duo of Four Starzzz Shiraz and Anothersuperstar made it a day for the veterans with spectacular victories in the feature races at Forbury Park yesterday.

Waikouaiti 9yr-old Four Starzzz Shiraz dashed along the passing lane to score a last-gasp win in the meeting's feature pace.

Katiki Beach squaregaiter Anothersuperstar celebrated turning 12 this week in brilliant style by winning yesterday's feature trot by more than seven lengths.

Veteran trainer-driver Denis O'Connell admitted he did not have high hopes for Four Starzzz Shiraz when he was last of the pack on the home turn with a wall of horses in front of him.

"I thought as long as he finishes on I would be happy," the trainer-driver said.

"Then, all of a sudden, the gaps started to finish.

"When I asked him to go, he really ripped into it."

Four Starzzz Shiraz was having his fifth run for O'Connell when he rounded up the favourite, Brantley, with a head to spare on the line.

The trainer-driver claimed the chestnut at Timaru in late June as a replacement for his longtime campaigner, Alexy.

Alexy won for trainer Darryn Simpson after being claimed by Lex and Heather Williams in June.

"I was very sad to see Alexy go," O'Connell said.

"But I am very pleased to see him go so well for Darryn and Lex and Heather Williams."

Four Starzzz Shiraz has proved to be a worthy replacement for Alexy by producing a win and two placings in five starts for O'Connell.

Part of the reason for that success is how much the 9yr-old is enjoying working on Waikouaiti Beach.

"He is really enjoying the beach; he loves going for a paddle in the water after his work."

Yesterday's feature trot winner, Anothersuperstar, does her training about 30km along the coast at Katiki Beach for trainer Ricky Allen.

Allen's patience and perseverance with the veteran trotter was rewarded when the 12yr-old scored an empathic and long-awaited win yesterday.

Anothersuperstar's frontrunning win for driver Ben Laughton came more than three years and eight months after her previous victory.

The 12yr-old headed an all-veteran trifecta, 8yr-old Spotlight The Valley finishing second and 10yr-old Bono Hest third.

Trotting success by Otago trainers was not limited to yesterday's Forbury Park meeting.

Oamaru trainer Phil Williamson produced Ultimate Stride for an authoritive victory in the group 1 Redwood Classic in Victoria.

Driver Anthony Butt took no chances with the favourite, keeping him out of trouble in the running and waiting until the home straight to let him down for an easy win.

Williamson was unable to make it a group 1 double when Liberty Stride blew her chances at the start of the group 1 Victoria Trotters Derby.