Rakauhauka trainer Clark Barron continued to add to his excellent season's training tally when he won three consecutive races at Ascot Park today.
Rakaporsche, Sumthin Special and Tight Lipped all won.
From barrier six Rakaporsche was taken straight to the top.
"She's got natural gate speed and the way the draw worked out a lot of people didn't realise that there were only six (runners) off the front and eight on the second row so it was no good going back," said Barron.
Rakaporsche held off a late charge by Likethelook which came home along the inside. The margin was a nose.
"She's taken a lot of runs to come right and even knocked up pretty quick today but she's been pretty fat inside I think."
Rakaporche showed talent as a two year old running third on debut behind Envious before winning her next start at Wyndham in February last year over a mile in 1-58.4.
After that win she injured a pastern which required an operation.
She returned to the racetrack just before Christmas but has required five starts before returning to winning form.
Rakaporsche is by Mach Three out of the maiden Mark Lobell mare Rakamobile.
Her foals include Rakatoy (1 NZ and 2 Australian wins), Rakamaz (2 New Zealand and 6 Australian wins) and Only The One (1 New Zealand and 12 Australian wins).
The mare's best performer off the track has been her Artsplace daughter Raksplace who has left Raksdeal, Rakarolla and Raksmach.
The second win for Barron came a race later when Sumthin Special improved from a first start sixth to win the Book A Mini Marquee on Cup Day Mobile Pace.
The four year daughter of Mach Three is out of Borowan, a Bo Scots Blue Chip mare which won two races in New Zealand before winning a further fifteen in Australia.
From seven Barron took Sumthin Special to the lead before handing up to Hot Chilli with 1500 metres to run.
When second favourite This Excuse Is Fine started to improved inside the 700, Barron hooked Sumthin Special out of the trail and went up to challenge Hot Chilli. The pair drew away and battled hard in the slush up the straight. Sumthin Special won by a length and a half from a game Hot Chilli.
"As you can see she's quite tough."
Somthin Special is owned by Aucklander Grant Dowdall.
"He's sent a few horses down and this is the first one that's been alright."
"We had a lot of problems with her feet.."
It was our winter and a lot of trainers had it. Nathan (Williamson) had it with his team. We were picking that the frost got into her feet and she actually had to regrow her feet."
The win was Barron’s sixteenth of the season. His best season in the training ranks was in 2011 when he trained 18 winners.
With the team around him this season he’s likely to better that. He's also closing in on his 200th win – after today’s meeting he sits at 199.
Barron's final winner of the day came in the very next race when he adapted front running tactics to win the Kelvin Hotel Mobile Pace with maiden pacer Tight Lipped.
Tight Lipped is owned by Kieran Fahy and Michael Turner.
He’s by Changeover out of Letatalk and was bred by Tuapeka Lodge.
The pair bought him for $6,000 in 2013. Turner then bought Letatalk in 2014. She’s a half – sister to Reconteur the dam of promising Talkerup who has won her only two starts for Cran Dalgety.
Reconteur was recently bought by Macca Lodge as Tuapeka Lodge looks to downsize its operation.
Bruce Stewart – Southland Harness Racing – Check site here