Riccarton trainers Peter and Dawn Williams won the listed spring race for 3yr-olds at Ashburton for the sixth time when Shuka prevailed yesterday.
Shuka is raced by Parr Bloodstock Ltd operated by Ashburton accountant Eric Parr.
It was the third win in seven starts for Shuka, a Bachelor Duke-Alabama Rose gelding, who was a $20,000 purchase at the 2010 NZ Bloodstock select sale at Karaka.
The Williams stable first won the Ashburton race in 1996 with Dame Clay when it was known as the John Grigg Stakes.
It is now the Ray Coupland Stakes They have also won the race with Iguazu (1998), Joan's Best (1999), Sir Clive (2000) and Moveovr (2008).
Shuka has been entered for the $400,000 NZ Two Thousand Guineas on November 5.
King's Chapel won the Coupland Stakes-Two Thousand Guineas double in 2003.
King's Rose won the Coupland Stakes-One Thousand Guineas double last year.
Matthew Cameron maintained his winning record on Keep The Conflict in the Ashburton Cup yesterday.
Cameron had ridden Keep The Conflict on one other occasion for a win at Oamaru on August 26.
Cameron also won on Dozintmateranyway and Kindred yesterday.
Shane Kennedy trains Keep The Conflict and Dozintmateranyway.
Cameron extended his lead in the jockeys' premiership with four wins yesterday.
