Riverton trainer Kelvin Tyler could be excused for not cheering too loudly for his Wingatui winner It's Pandemonium.
The former North Island galloper flew down the outside to win race 4 on yesterday's Melbourne Cup day programme.
The victory was reward for a huge 24 hours for Tyler, who made a quick dash to Christchurch the night before yesterday's meeting.
Before the meeting, the trainer had his classy mare Hayley Maree scanned after being served by stallion Highly Recommended, he said.
When the mare was found to be not in foal, but in season and ready to be served again, it meant she needed to get back to Berkley Stud as soon as possible.
So Tyler loaded the mare on the truck with his racing team and headed towards Christchurch.
He left his racing team with his staff at Oamaru, where he often bases his horses for Otago raids, and carried on to the stud.
With his team safely tucked up in their boxes and fed, Tyler completed the long trip back to Oamaru in the early hours of yesterday, he said.
After only a few hours' sleep, he was back into action and headed to Wingatui for yesterday's meeting.
The huge effort was rewarded with It's Pandemonium's win, but the real reward would come if Hayley Maree was able to get in foal, he said.
It's Pandemonium is a half sister to Tyler's four-win mare Flying Sardine and was having only her second start from his stable.
Though the horse had her share of ability, she had been something of a problem child, meaning he had needed to be patient with her, he said.
Hayley Maree would have run in yesterday's feature open handicap, race 5.
The race was won by Fairlight courtesy of a perfect frontrunning ride by apprentice Kin Kwo.
Apprentice riders dominated yesterday's programme, with Krishna Mudhoo taking race 3 on Shakti and Rafi Firdhaus taking race 7 on Celtic Cross alongside Corey Campbell's three winning rides.
Yesterday's Melbourne Cup race day was wrapped up in appropriate fashion by Irish rider Samantha Wynne.
In the only race after Wingatui racegoers watched Irish runner Rekindling win the Melbourne Cup, Wynne and her ride Entree streeted their rivals by six lengths to win race 9.
