Natalie Rasmussen had a memorable first New Zealand win when she drove Vi Et Animo in the $35,000 Methven Cup yesterday.
Rasmussen, who made her name as the trainer and driver of the champion Australian pacer Blacks A Fake, shifted from Queensland to Christchurch two weeks ago.
She is the partner of Mark Purdon, who along with Grant Payne, took over the training of Vi Et Animo three weeks ago.
The 6yr-old, owned by Wayne and Alison McCulloch, of Myross Bush, and Mary-Jane Thomas, of Invercargill, was having his first race from new quarters.
Vi Et Amino won 16 races when trained at Invercargill by Gil Shirley.
"I felt he [Vi Et Animo] deserved his chance in Canterbury and there was not much point in me dragging him up there all the time," Brent Shirley, his former driver, said.
"The owners took the advice and it has paid off."
The Purdon-Payne stable won the Methven Cup last year with Ohoka Dallas, who lost his chance at the start yesterday.
Vi Et Animo is entered for the $600,000 New Zealand Cup on November 8.
The Purdon-Payne stable have Auckland Reactor a leading contender for that race after his fresh-up win in the New Brighton Cup.
Flashing Red won the Methven Cup-New Zealand Cup double in 2006.
Vi Et Animo has amassed $230,402 in stakes, an outstanding return for the $5200 Wayne McCulloch paid for the son of Pacific Rocket and Blondie's Pocket as a weanling at a Christchurch sale in 2006.
The McCullochs subsequently bought Blondie's Pocket and she has left them the winner Dyed Blonde.
The McCullochs bred Babes Boy Bob, a winner yesterday from the stable of Mark Jones in the ownership of Merv and Meg Butterworth, of Melbourne.
Babes Boy Bob has won three races since the Butterworths bought him 12 months ago as a one-win horse from Invercargill owner-trainer Jessica Malcolm (now Rabbitte).
The Butterworths also won with Ardlussa Express from the Jones stable at Forbury Park on Thursday night.
Trainers Greg and Nina Hope won yesterday with Stubmeister, Dreamy Chip, Classie Emma and Lyalldale Invasion.
Stubmeister was having his first race from the stable and first for seven months.
Raglan won in 1.53 for the mile in his first Australian start at Menangle on Saturday night.
The Tim Butt-trained Raglan was among seven NZ-bred winners on the eight-race card.
Makarewa Sun, Mexican Invasion, Party Girl Becqui and Shoot No Blanks were also successful.
