Andrew Carston celebrated at double at Ashburton Raceway on Tuesday.
Carston’s first winner of the day was five-year-old gelding, Kristofferson who won the Hygain Maiden Stayers Challenge Extra $2500 (2200m).
Ridden by Chris Johnson, Kristofferson began nicely from barrier two racing handy and keenly behind the leader throughout before getting clear at the 200m mark and bounding away for a neck win on the line over Listenlikethieves and his stablemate Telling Tales.
“Kristofferson is a stable favourite, he’s just such a dude” said Carston. “We work him with the babies, he’s like the stable pony but now he’s a winning pony.
“I bought him as a yearling and he’s bred to stay but he has taken a long time to strengthen up, so hopefully he’ll go on with it from here.
“He’s come through the run well and we’ll probably run him again on Boxing Day at Wingatui.”
Cartson was also pleased with the run of third placed Telling Tales.
“He was really good,” he said. “It was probably his best run since I’ve had him which is positive and I’ll be disappointed if he can’t win a race over the Christmas - New Year period.
The Riccarton-based trainer’s second win came in the last race of the day with O’Jude winning the rating 75 Vale Yong Chew (1400m).
The former Stephen McKee-trained mare joined Carston’s stable in November following McKee’s retirement.
“She’s had three runs since I’ve had her and had no luck in any three of them,” Carston said.
“I was pretty confident she’d run well from a good gate with a senior jockey on and she won accordingly.”
Carston was lucky to secure the services of Tina Comignaghi who won four races on the day.
“We were hoping Lisa Allpress would ride her but then she didn’t come down for the meeting, so we didn’t have a rider but fortunately for us the horse Tina was down to ride was scratched at 7am so we were able to get her on,” he said.
It was the second career win for O’Jude who is raced by large group of owners which includes McKee and several syndicates.
Carston said that of his other runners on Tuesday first starters Prima Donna and The Arctic Blast were the two to follow with both horses heading to Kurow on December 30. Watch the replay of Kristofferon's win. Watch the replay of O'Jude's win.