He won the 1400m race decisively under 58.5kg in his first race for three and a-half months. It was his first win at a distance less than 1600m.
The Lord Ballina gelding, trained by Kevin Myers at Wanganui, won the Auckland Cup (3200m) in March and three hurdle races in Victoria last winter. His 14 wins include the Kumara Nuggets (1800m).
He was ridden yesterday by apprentice Lisa Whelan, who also won on Queen Of The Castle and Findersfee (trained by Myers).
Vinnie Hullah ran a 1.88sec faster time than Titch when he won the following race, a rating 80. Vinnie Hullah won by six and a-quarter lengths.
It was his second win in as many starts since joining the Tuahiwi stable of Paul Harris two months ago. The 4yr-old Danske-Victoria Park gelding had won a maiden race at Ashburton on July 10. He was bought by Kypros and Mary Kotzikas, of Christchurch, on the recommendation of Harris.
Vinnie Hullah had been placed in three starts from the Bulls stable of Stewart Mitchell for Norsewood breeders Gordon and Val Williams.
"I had trained another one out of the mare and got him up and going and sold him to Malaysia," Harris said.
"I think the time of Vinnie Hullah showed what he is capable of. He has the potential to develop into a top miler."
Harris said Vinnie Hullah had a lot of the attributes of Hustler, whom he trained to win the 2002 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas.
Vinnie Hullah is the last of seven foals left by Victoria Park (by Dedicated Rullah).
She died in 2007.
