"My home is OK but I operate a butchery supplying meat to restaurants and the customer base has been decimated," Cotton said.
Cotton entered the ownership of Halo Express nine months ago when another part-owner opted out. He races Halo Express with Ken Heckler, of Clarkville.
Halo Express raced outside the leader Conscious Mistake, reached the lead in the stretch and held off Final Touch by a nose.
• Otautau owner Ian Taplin had wins yesterday with Sir Tap and Flying Tap, both trained by his partner, Kerry King. He races Sir Tap with his father, Syd, of Te Awamutu.
Sir Tap, a 3yr-old having his second start is by Stravinsky from Perfect Tap (Sandtrap-Peep), a sister to Bunker, the sire of Flying Tap, also a 3yr-old.
•Coup Ay Tee, a seven and three-quarter length winner at Cromwell yesterday, could be performing in Brisbane this winter before the man who inspired his name.
"I am thinking about taking him to Brisbane. He is a 3yr-old with a lot of ability and there would be races to suit him there," Michael Pitman, the trainer of Coup Ay Tee, said.
The Danske-Flying Coup gelding is named for Brisbane racing commentator, Allan Thomas, a friend of Ray Coupland, the owner Coup Ay Tee.
It was the second win for Coup Ay Tee from three starts. He led and ran wide from the top of the home straight, finishing near the outside fence.
"He just ran out. I could have spent 300m trying to straighten him and the race would have been over," Lisa Allpress, his rider, said.
The Pitman-trained El Chico, winner of the open sprint yesterday, is also headed to Brisbane.
•Apprentice KC Walters rode Anahera to win in his first ride on the Cromwell track. Walters (20) has ridden 14 winners this season. He said his winning tally had lifted since Neill Ridley became foreman for the stable of his mentor, Jason Bridgeman, at Rangiora.
"I had only ridden seven winners in two years. Neill has helped me a lot. I am on the chaff sack most days for practice with the whip and he goes over the videos of my races."
Ridley was a successful rider on the flat and he made his mark over fences.
•Ashley McKay was suspended for two days until midnight next Saturday for careless riding yesterday.
McKay, riding McMighty, admitted causing a check to The Dewdrop after 250m in race 2.
