The father and son training partnership of Michael and Matthew Pitman stamped their mark on the opening day of the Riverton Easter Carnival on Saturday when they produced four winners from their eight runners at the meeting.
O'Kiwi and Prince Ransom got them away to a flying start with wins in the first two races on the day before Jazzman and Dynamic added further success later in the programme. It was just reward for the partnership with Pitman senior a noted supporter of the traditional two-day meeting for many years.
"I like coming back here as it is a great club who look after us well and do a great job," he said.
"We brought our team down earlier in the week and they have settled in well and raced accordingly. It is something we had planned a fair bit for so it's nice when that has the rewards like we achieved on Saturday."
While Pitman was delighted with the team's performance he had a special mention for the ride of apprentice Amanda Morgan on Jazzman, who took out the Waiau Hotel Aparima sponsored open 1200 metre event.
"It was a lovely ride by Amanda as she did everything I asked of her," he noted.
"I walked the track after the horses had galloped here on Thursday morning and I said to her then she needed to hug the rails all the way on him. When it is a little wet here they tend to go wide on the home corner so I knew if she could stick to the rails it was worth a length or two to him.
"Amanda did exactly that so it was the difference between winning and losing the race."
Pitman has welcomed the capable 27-year-old apprentice back into the stable after she had spent a year or two away from racing.
"Amanda took a break from it all after my son Johnny's death and I told her then there was always a place for her if she decided she wanted to come back," he said.
"We've only had her back for a few weeks now and she has started with a hiss and a roar, riding 3 winners from her first 8 rides.
"She loves Jazzman and has now won six races on him so they are a combination that definitely click."
The Pitman's will look to extend their winning streak on the second day of the carnival on Monday with O'Kiwi nominated as a leading chance provided he can gain a place in the field for race 10 where he is listed as the 4th emergency for the event.
