Past Southland Oaks Winner-Mainland Banner

Bruce Stewart Contributor

Southland harness racing fans got to witness an exceptional three year old filly the day Mainland Banner (Christian Cullen) won the 2005 Southland Oaks.

Going into the final the Robert Dunn trained filly was made a $1.20 favourite on the back of an unbeaten streak that included wins at Ashburton, Kaikoura, Marlborough, Wyndham and Addington.

In the final, on a slushy track, driver Ricky May settled her last in the twelve horse field. With a lap to run he sent her forward but she was left three wide until the field straightened for the run home. The Ian Dobson owned filly still had plenty to give and came away from the field in the home straight, to beat Rakalee by three lengths with a neck back to Absolutely Brilliant which had led for most of the race. The 2200 metres was run in a sedate 2-49.6.

From just twenty two starts Mainland Banner won seventeen races, her feature wins being the G1 New Zealand Oaks, the G1 New Zealand Trotting Cup, the G1 New Zealand Breeders Stakes, the G1 Noel Taylor Mile and the G1 New Zealand Messenger.

This Sunday the Invercargill HRC host Diamonds Day at Ascot with a host of feature race including the $110,000 Group One Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic, the $60,000 Group Two Macca Lodge/Nevele R Southern Oaks, the $60,000 Group Two Alabar Supremacy Stakes, the $50,000 Group Three Entain Two Year Old Mobile Trot and the $40,000 Regent Car Court Southern Country Cups Final.

A truly spectacular day of racing which gets underway at 12 noon.