Terror To Love led over the last 1200m and won by two lengths in the hands of Ricky May, the most successful driver in the 57-year history of the Flying Stakes with five wins in the race.
May has also won the race with Vita Man (1982), Happy Sunrise (1987), Iraklis (1997) and Panky's Pacer (2001). May previously shared the accolade for most wins in the race with Anthony Butt and Robert Cameron.
Iraklis carried on to win the New Zealand Cup, one of four wins in that race for May. Flashing Red (2007) is the most recent winner of the Flying Stakes-New Zealand Cup double. May has also won the New Zealand Cup with Inky Lord (1989), Mainland Banner (2005) and Monkey King (2009-10). Mainland Banner won a minor race at Ashburton the start before her Cup win.
Terror To Love ran his last 800m in 55.9 and 400 in 25.9 yesterday.
Terror To Love finished fifth in the Flying Stakes before winning the Cup at his next start. His final public appearance was the Cup Trial at Addington six days beforehand when he finished ninth.
Paul Court, his co-trainer, said Terror To Love would follow the same programme this year.
Pembrook Benny recorded his second minor placing in a Flying Stakes when he finished second, a long neck in front of Franco Emirate, who broke for several strides early, then sat in the open from the 600m. Franco Ledger finished on late for fourth.
The TAB has shortened Terror To Love to $2.40 from $3 to win the New Zealand Cup for the second successive year.
Franco Ledger is in from $8 to $7 second favourite, ahead of Gold Ace ($7.50).
Sleepy Tripp and Rangataua Ray have been ruled out of the New Zealand Cup after tangling at the start of the Flying Stakes.
Trainer Peter Wallace said Rangataua Ray would be withdrawn.
Trainer Mark Purdon said Sleepy Tripp would be restricted to mobile-start races.
He was stood down from a standing start yesterday until giving a satisfactory trial.
Dr Hook recorded his second successive win in the Ashburton Trotters' Mile yesterday. It is the third time trainer Paul Nairn has had successive wins in the race. He has also been successful with Stig (2007-08) and Call Me Now (1994-95).
Dr Hook, who outfinished pacemaker The Fiery Ginga by half a head, ran the mile in 1.56.3, 0.1sec slower than last year and 0.7sec outside the race record of 1.55.6 set by Lyell Creek in 2000.
• Glencoe V C, now trained by Gerard O'Reilly, won a trial at Orari on Saturday where he is due to resume racing on December 1.
The winner of seven of his 17 starts when trained by Brendon McLellan, Glencoe V C has not raced since April.
