"I decided to make the trip on the spur of the moment when I saw Ron Williamson had sponsored the steeplechase," Coop said.
"My late father [Bernard Mann] rode a horse from Bluff to Cape Reinga and Ron was among the people who looked after him on the journey."
Williamson, now retired in Twizel, formerly operated the Birchwood Station in the Ahuriri Valley. He is a long-time enthusiast of jumps racing and sponsored two races yesterday.
Coop shares the ownership of Man O' Mann with her sister Rosie Gould, of Masterton.
They inherited the horse from their father.
Man O' Mann led all the way to win his second race in as many starts over country yesterday.
He had won a restricted steeples at Te Aroha eight days earlier. The 10yr-old has been prepared for his latest campaign by Kevin Myers at Wanganui.
Man O' Mann won five flat races and two over hurdles (both at Riccarton) when trained by Paul Nelson at Hastings.
Bernard Mann taught Kevin Myers to ride at pony club level.
Coop has her sights on the Grand National at Riccarton in August. Her father owned Big Mann, who finished second, beaten a long head, by Bodle in the 2001 National.
Numero De Lago won at his first start over hurdles yesterday.
He disputed the pace and came clear from the last fence.
He had won on the flat at Washdyke at his previous start for Waimate owners Bob and Diana Goodeve and trainer Michael Daly.
"I may bring him back to flat racing," Daly said.
High Forty impressively won the restricted open hurdles yesterday after tailing a six-horse field until the 400m.
He had won a maiden hurdles at his previous start at Wingatui for owners Brian and Lorraine Anderton and Terry Burke.
• Voorsitter has been rehandicapped 2kg to 60.5kg at Riccarton tomorrow for his win at Oamaru yesterday.
The Volksraad gelding has won two of his three starts since joining the Woodend Beach stable of Paul Harris.
He requires a further scratching to enter the field for race 7. Centaine Spittles has been declared to ride Voorsitter. Lisa Allpress rode him yesterday when he edged out Terelle.
Cheap Date was lame after he finished fifth in the steeplechase at Oamaru yesterday.
Trainer Shane Anderton informed stewards that the horse would be X-rayed to determine the injury.
Ballaphun was sore after finishing fourth in race 6. He injured a right front tendon.
Muzza was found to have injured his hind fetclocks after he finished last in race 8.
Champagne Again, the favourite in race 7, was found to be sore after he finished seventh.
