Humbucker's Gore Cup win tinged with sadness
The sight of Humbucker galloping clear in the home straight for jockey Jasmine Fawcett warmed the hearts of many in Gore on Saturday.
Jamie Searle is a long-time Southland racing writer. For more of his work head to the Southland Thoroughbreds Facebook page.
Emotions ran high when Humbucker raced away with the MLT Gore Cup on Saturday.
One of his owners, Alison Hazlett, of Waianiwa, died earlier in the day at Southland Hospital in Invercargill. She was aged 80 and loved racing and the people in it.
Humbucker's win lifted the spirits on a tough day for Alison's family and friends. It was the gelding's first success since his win in the Gore Cup 12 month ago for Knapdale trainer Ellis Winsloe and the other owners Bronwyn Murray, Rosie Innes and Karen and Morgan Horrell.
Joining them oncourse was Alison's son, Don Hazlett, from Queenstown.
The sight of Humbucker galloping clear in the home straight for jockey Jasmine Fawcett warmed the hearts of many.
Ellis Winsloe said: "I couldn't have asked for anything better" to honour Alison with.
"I'm going to really miss her," he said.
Karen Horrell, who is also in Humbucker's ownership, said: "I enjoyed Alison's company, she loved racing."
Within an hour of Karen having success with Humbucker in the Gore Cup, her brother, New Plymouth trainer Robert Patterson, formerly of Gore, trained the winners of the Group I $400,000 Thorndon Mile (Puntura) and Group III $300,000 Wellington Cup (Mary Louise) at Trentham.
Humbucker was one of four winners on the day for visiting Waikato jockey Jasmine Fawcett. She also won on Aberlour (Liquorland Gore Guineas), Shockallia (Rex Cochrane Memorial) and Capistrano Rocs (Hokonui Rural Transport Handicap).
Aberlour stepped up from winning a maiden race at Riverton on January 1 to taking out the Listed $80,000 Liquorland Gore Guineas. She had a long neck to spare at the finish from gallant runner up Hakadecree after their home straight battle.
Aberlour is trained at Riverton by Kelvin Tyler whose stable also produced the filly's half-brother, Tobilicious, to win five races, as well as a second in the Group II Coupland's Bakeries Mile and a fourth in the Group I Thorndon Mile.
Av Todd bred Aberlour and shares the ownership with son Michael Tyler and his wife Emma and Kelvin Tyler and his wife Vanessa.
Meanwhile, the Tyler-trained Shockallia won the Rex Cochrane Memorial at Gore on Saturday.
Rex was a Gore trainer who had outstanding success throughout the country over several decades. He died in November.