John and Karen Parsons have a great association with Riccarton’s Synthetic track, and that continued on Thursday when taking out the Grand National Tickets On Sale Now Maiden (1200m) with Miss Starlight.

A homebred daughter of Sweynesse, Miss Starlight was making her debut after three pleasing trial outings, and her trainers were quietly confident of a bold showing.

From her outside draw, Miss Starlight was pushed forward early by jockey Tina Comignaghi to sit outside leader Loose ‘N’ Vegas and settled beautifully for much of the journey. The juvenile filly put her head in front at the 300m and continued to extend her advantage, eventually running out a four-length victor, much to the delight of her trainers.

“Everyone that asked me, I told them we expected a win, but you don’t know what is going to happen from a wide draw,” Karen Parsons said.

“When she missed the kick and had to work like hell to get up to them, I was panicking, but I couldn’t believe it when she accelerated away from them.”

The victory adds to the Parsons’ strong record on the synthetic surface, highlighted by a four-timer a fortnight ago, which also brought up Karen’s 1,000th training victory.

“We have got a good record on it (synthetic track),” Parsons said. “Our track at home is very similar to the one at Riccarton, so it is like working at home. We do like it.”

Te Akau Racing also enjoyed a pleasing day, adding three further victories to their trainers’ premiership lead, courtesy of Corps D'Elite, Porcia Catonis and Beau Brummell.

Corps D'Elite was resuming after two recent trials, having placed in two of her previous four starts, and trainers Mark and Sam Bergerson were pleased to score a breakthrough win with the daughter of So You Think in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m).

“That was a well-deserved win, and it should give her confidence going forward,” Walker said. “She is by So You Think, and traditionally they improve again as four and five-year-olds, so really happy to see her win like she did as a three-year-old.”

Two races later the stable was back in the winner’s stall following Porcia Catonis’ victory in the Thank You Brad Thistoll Rating 65 (1400m) in the colours of Fortuna Syndications.

The daughter of Super Seth has a strong record on Riccarton’s Synthetic track, having won on the surface two starts back and finishing runner-up last December.

“That was a really strong win by Porcia Catonis,” Walker said. “Hayley (Hassman, apprentice jockey) is riding in great form, she’ll be down to a three-kilo claim before we know it, but the filly really quickened when she presented her and that’s a sign of a rider being able to balance them up properly in the straight.

“Her previous run had us wondering (when sixth), but she won with a lot of authority today.”

Fortuna’s John Galvin was just as pleased with the result.

“That was quite impressive,” Galvin said. “She won her maiden very well, off a wide draw, then disappointed us a bit last time after racing on the speed, which was a head-scratcher, but she again came to life after being ridden off the pace and zoomed down the outside of the track.

“She had the draw (2) last time, so we looked to utilise that, but it seems she prefers to settle off the pace and get home strongly.

“The (polytrack) surface is agreeing with her and it was another nice victory, to make it two for the owners in a month.”

Homebred Beau Brummell rounded out a pleasing day for Te Akau when taking out the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Rating 75 (1600m).

“It was a really good fresh-up performance to win like that,” Walker said.

“He’s a horse that has got better and better as he’s got older, like a lot of the stock by Embellish, and it was a good, solid win.

“It looks as though he’ll be in for a good winter on the polytrack down there at Riccarton.”