Delestic made good in the Hokonui Trot on the grass at Gore on Sunday but his trainer and driver Nathan Williamson said it has taken a bit of work.

“We had trouble getting him to trot,” Williamson said of the four year old, “its taken three years, half hopples are a must.” After a trial win on the all weather at Gore on Thursday last week, Delestic went back two days later to workouts on the grass for a third.

“He went well at the trials and has carried it on,” Williamson reported.

Bred and owned by Redan near Wyndham farmer Ian Hunter, Delestic is out of the six-win mare Delcola who was trained at various times by Tony Barron, Ivan Gutsell and Megan Irvine, and David and Catherine Butt. Her first foal, Splash Cola by Sundon won three of her ten starts for Williamson who said she went amiss but is due to return. Delestic is by Majestic Son.

Williamson gained a second driving win when Costa Del Magnifico made light work of his 35 metre handicap to comfortably account for his five opponents in the McDowell Painting Gore Grass Cup.

Panspacificflight scored an early siring double when four year gelding Tangled Up In Blue won the C0 Gore Town & Country Club Pace and three year old filly Sheezus the Four Square Tapanui / Dunne Equine Pace for C0 females. Trained by Brent McIntyre at Macca Lodge, Tangled Up In Blue was the first of two winners for Blair Orange while Sheezus, trained locally by Tony Stratford, was the first of four for Dexter Dunn.

Orange returned to take out the South Gore Dairy/ Robin Dundee Club Trot with Explosive Star. Raced by Jimmy Bond, Explosive Star is trained by his son Lyndon and in October, provided Lyndon with his first trainer/ driver victory. Five days before the Gore win, Orange drove Explosive Star for the first time resulting in a second on the grass at Waikouaiti.

Dunn's later wins were aboard Envious, crediting Jo Baynes with her first win as a trainer, and the pair of Graeme Anderson-trained three year old gelded sons of Art Major, All Star Magician in the Southern Equine Transport Mobile Pace, and Eamon Maguire in the Keep It Clean Mobile. Eamon Maguire's time for the mobile 1800 on the grass was 2:15.3, a mile rate of 2:00.9. Closing sectionals for the race were 58.6 and 28.0.

The Hamish Hunter trained and driven Groomsman gave Art Major his third winner when taking out the Van De Water Jewellers Mobile. Like Explosive Star, he had finished second at Waikouaiti five days earlier.

Rory McIlwrick extended his lead on the Junior Drivers Table to 13 wins when successful aboard Overcast in the Aon Insurance Trot.