Star Duo On Song For Silver Collar

GROUP race winning duo Ebby Ripper and Rippin' Sam have rubber-stamped their New Zealand arrivals with a stirring battle over the 660m at Manawutu Raceway on Monday.

With just a little over three weeks until the heats of the Group 1 Silver Collar at Manukau over the grueling 779m, it was Ebby Ripper who prevailed in a narrow finish to the 660 metre affair, scoring by a neck in an epic battle to the line.

In what was an ominous warning to their rivals for the Silver Collar heats on June 2, the former Australian-based gallopers appear to have now settled in nicely to their new surrounds, and will no doubt go into the upcoming group 1 event as series' favourites.

Rippin' Sam, winner of the 2018 Group 1 Galaxy at Cannington, hadn't raced since February 23, when finishing down the track to his champion brother Tornado Tears in a heat of the Group 1 Super Stayers at The Meadows.

Ebby Ripper on the other hand was having her second NZ start, after finishing sixth in a race at Cambridge mid last month.

Both chasers are in the hands of Angela Turnwald and Paul Freeman for their New Zealand campaigns and amazingly, Ebby Ripper was turned out at odds upwards of 10/1 for Monday's success.

The opening event on Monday's Manawutu program went the way of another Australian export, with Lochinvar Flash making it four wins from five appearances with a breathtaking 11 length victory over the 410m in 23.29.

A son of Dyna Double One and Sienna Bale, Lochinvar Flash broke the Richmond 330m track record in a stewards trial last September, posting a mind boggling 18.35.

But with a few indiscretions under his belt, connections sent the talented conveyance to NZ where he hasn't looked back for trainer Lisa Cole, each of his four wins in electrifying best of day times.