Comanche Gold was a powerful winner of the Queenstown Cup at the Otago Racing Club's Cromwell meeting.
The 5yr-old was always handy and then came through with a strong burst about 100m out to finish just ahead of Keep The Conflict, with Chaparella third.
Comanche Gold's trainer, Graham Eade, of Riverton, who also owns the horse with his wife Pat, said the horse had a liking for the track and he always fancied the Hawkeye gelding's chances.
"The only other time we have raced him here he finished second, so it is a course he seems to have a fondness for. The only real worries I had for him was it might be a bit firm," Eade said.
"But he is a tough horse, very versatile and never gives up." Eade would now look at targeting Christmas races in and around the South, and was looking to push on.
He praised jockey Ross Doherty, who managed to get through at the top of the straight and keep the horse in front.
There were only seven horses in the field but it made for an exciting and tight race.
Doherty also won on Cheeky Tart for South Canterbury trainer David Hutton, to whom he is apprenticed. However, it was not quite the perfect day as he was fined $150 for excessive use of the whip in race 7.
A period of more than six months away from racing paid dividends for the connections of Honora Flynn, who hung on to win the Wanaka Cup yesterday.
Invercargill trainer Sean Bellew said the 6yr-old mare had matured greatly this season and would now be set for the Invercargill Cup in February.
Honora Flynn was handy for most of the race and showed good fight to prevail.
It had been a long road back to the winner's circle for Honora Flynn, with Bellew wondering at times if she would ever get back to top form.
"She chipped a bit of bone off her knee last season and I brought her back after eight to 10 weeks, and looking back now she came back too soon," he said.
"She ran a placing at Riccarton last season but she was found out a bit. She has come back this year and she is spot on.
"She has matured well in the head and is starting to know what it is all about."
Her previous race was at Riccarton in April when she had raced disappointingly.
Honora Flynn (O'Reilly-La Banca) is a full-sister to Power O'Raylee, who has had five wins for $195,513 in stakes in Victoria.
Honora Flynn would be set for the Invercargill Cup.
