Rex Cochrane, the first New Zealand trainer to prepare 1000 winners and three times leading New Zealand trainer, was at Cromwell on Sunday to mark 150 years of racing at the venue.
Cochrane, now retired in Alexandra, was based at Gore when he trained numerous winners and rode winners in races for pacers in saddle at Cromwell.
He rode Double Dillon to win there in 1948 and Red Globe in 1954. The same day he drove Red Globe to finish second.
Cochrane saddled the fine mare Yipp's Secret to win the Garrett Handicap (2000m), the main race in 1980, under 62kg, 14kg above the minimum. Yipp's Secret was ridden by Jim Collett.
Cochrane won the Cromwell Stakes for 3yr-olds the same day with Double D'Dor, owned by Val Christophers, who had a horse racing on Sunday Matthew Cameron was suspended for a total of 13 riding days from Sunday until midnight on March 23 and fined $2200 for careless riding in the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Cameron admitted two charges after riding Rock `N' Pop. He crowded Carrick, who in turn checked Roamin after 200m. He shifted out at the 300m, hampering Guess What. He was suspended for seven days and fined $1200 on the first charge.
Cameron has won 92 races this season. He is second on the premiership to James McDonald (95).
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing was encouraged by betting on the Paeroa meeting yesterday, Greg Purcell, the chief executive, said. The meeting was the first in a schedule of Monday and Tuesday meetings, aimed at the Australian market.
Australian operators had a turnover of $1,238,241 on the eight-race meeting., an average per race of $154,780 compared with the budget of $80,000. The figures may have been influenced by the cancellation of two of the four Australian meetings scheduled for yesterday.
The New Zealand total for the meeting was $596,454, an average per race of $74,557 compared with a budget figure of $63,000.
