Ronnie Coleman emerged as a rising star among the trotters with a resounding win at Omakau on Saturday.
Ronnie Coleman, having his third start, dashed clear by five and a-quarter lengths over the closing stages of 2600m.
Chris Butt angled him out from four back on the inner on the home turn.
Ronnie Coleman will race on the grass at Cromwell on Thursday.
He is a 4yr-old by Muscles Yankee and the last of three foals left by Costa Dollar, an unraced sister to trotting winner, Golly Gosh.
They were out of Cardigan Lass, winner of six races as a trotter in the 1960s when trained by Jack Carmichael.
The Foxtrot syndicate, Graeme Hulston and P Darby who raced Mounbatten from the Butt-Anderson stable, are in the ownership of Ronnie Coleman.
Mountbatten won the 2007 Dominion Handicap.
He was successful in the United States after being sold but broke a leg recently and had to be put down.
Cullen's Creek was untroubled to win the Central Otago Cup after leading over the last 2000m.
It was the eighth win for Cullen's Creek, raced by Jenny Butt (mother of Tim and Anthony), breeder Peter Smith, of Kaikoura, Judith King-Turner, of Nelson, Ross and Mrs Greenslade and Joe Mullins. Cullen's Creek is a half-brother to Swan Creek (eight wins), Harnett's Creek (13 wins) Kahlum (the dam of Lyell Creek) and Kahola, the dam of Kahdon, a dual winner at the Westport Christmas meeting.
The Night N Day racing syndicate won with Coughton Court on Saturday.
The syndicate comprises 10 franchise holders of the Night N Day stores, located throughout the South Island.
Denise Lane, the Dunedin co-director of the company, is also in the syndicate who have the 4yr-old mare on lease from Mike Stratford.
Trainer Robbie Holmes arranged the lease.
The 3yr-old trotter Rhythmic Sun led over the last 1900m to win for trainer and part-owner Alan Clark. His 3yr-old stablemate The Fiery Ginga, set a New Zealand record at Addington on Thursday when he ran 1950m (mobile) in 2.25.6.
Clark is viewing a start for The Fiery Ginga in a $25,000 open trot over 3200m race at Invercargill on January 14.
"He could have gone faster at Addington.
He was playing around with his head pole and not concentrating," Clark said.
"I will see what other horses are in the field at Invercargill before deciding on a start there."
Stylish Monarch, a comfortable winner of the free-for-all on Saturday, is also headed to Invercargill.
It was the ninth win for Stylish Monarch in 17 starts.
"The long term aim is the Rowe Cup in May.
All going well I would send him north a month before the race to get experience racing right-handed," Murray Tapper, the trainer of Stylish Monarch, said.
Geoff Small, trained the four harness winners at the dual code meeting at Tauherenikau on Saturday.
The four pacers - Zenstar, Woodlea Warrior, Awohali and Nextdoor To Alice were driven by David Butcher.
The Patumahoe-based Small and Butcher combined to win the main race at Cambridge the previous night with Tintin In America.
Trainers Mark Purdon and Grant Payne won seven races on the 12-race card at the Auckland premier meeting on Thursday.
They won with Major Mark, Pocaro, Kotare Mach, Joyfuljoy and Highview Tommy in successive races; Meredith Maguire ($150,000 Sires' Stakes Championship) and Russley Rascal.
Joyfuljoy and stablemate Arden's Darlin are on the road back to Rolleston.
They will be freshened for the mares races at Addington on January 22 and February 12.
Auckland Reactor, who has been in the paddock since returning from Sydney where he finished sixth in the Miracle Mile on November 29.
He is due to leave for the United States.
Small is third in the premiership with 41 wins behind Purdon and Payne (48) and Steven Reid and Graeme Rogerson (45).
Butcher is second on the drivers' list with 59 wins behind Dexter Dunn (72).
