Orepuki Lad wins by 12 1/2 lengths

Raise The Flag 4yr-old Orepuki Lad won by 12 1/2 lengths over 1600m at Oamaru on Thursday. It was the second win in five starts for Orepuki Lad, trained at Riverton by Graham and Michael Eade for the Ten Deep syndicate. Orepuki Lad was bred by syndicate member Cecil Ferguson, of Orepuki (Southland). The Star Gazer won three races to 2000m for Ferguson racing out of the Tapanui stable of Nikki and Barrie Blatch. Orepuki Lad is the second foal of The Star Gazer (by The Gladiator), who has been mated with Raise The Flag for three seasons. The Star Gazer is a half sister to King Prawn, who was also bred by Ferguson and won eight races when trained by John Phillips at Winton.

Ablaze, another son of Raise The Flag, posted his sixth win when he was successful over 2200m at Oamaru.  He is trained by Brian and Shane Anderton and raced by breeders Brian and Lorraine Anderton and Mickle Weastell, of Christchurch.

Flagdown (Raise The Flag - Sea Maid) was a recent maiden winner of 2040m at Wanganui.

The Man (Gallant Guru - Auntie), trained by Brian and Shane Anderton for the O'Malley family, of Ikamatua, posted his fifth win and third at Riccarton on Saturday.

There was no more impressive flat winner at Wingatui on Friday than Flying Agent, a Raise The Flag - Nancy Wake gelding who cleared maiden ranks with a last to first performance over 1600m. Flying Agent, bred by Brian and Lorraine Anderton, is the sixth winner from seven foals to race out of Nancy Wake (by Personal Escort). She has also left Spying On You, Georgey Aeroplane, Platinum Choice, Wake The Guru and Ian Charles. Spying On You (by Yamanin Vital) has amassed $368,000 in stakes in Australia, his wins including a Great Eastern Steeplechase at Oakbank. His brother, Georgey Aeroplane was retired this year with $A200,000 in stakes after five wins.

Flying Agent is trained by Brian and Shane Anderton for Dean Lawrence,  the immediate past president of the Otago Racing Club, his mother-in- law, Diana Duff- Staniland, of Wellington and Paul Duffus, of Canberra. Mr Lawrence purchased Flying Agent for $24,000  as a yearling at the 2014 South Island sale in Christchurch. He raced Gallant Defender, winner of three races from the WRL stable.