Three-year-old gelding Dettifoss (NZ) (Sacred Falls) got Carston’s day off to a flyer when winning the MLM Construction (1400m) by 6-1/2 lengths.

Carston has plenty of time for the son of Sacred Falls and believes he has plenty of upside.

“I think Dettifoss is a pretty smart horse,” Carston said. “He was unlucky last start, so we went into today with a fair bit of confidence and he won well. 

“He is still mentally fragile. He will only improve going into his four-year-old year.”

Stablemate Where’s Wally (NZ) (Ghibellines) secured the double with victory in the Simmo, Steve & Greeno (1200m).

It was the gelding’s second consecutive win and Carston admitted to being pleasantly surprised by the result.

“I thought today was a pretty strong race, so I didn’t actually expect him to win, so I am really happy he got the job done,” Carston said.

Now on equal terms with his previous best season tally, recorded last year, Carston still has a few weeks to better the mark and he said he is looking forward to the spring with a couple of stable runners.

“I am really happy to keep the ball rolling,” he said. “I am probably unlucky not to have won a Listed race this season, but I have got some nice progressive horses going into the spring.

“Milford Sound has come back in good order and Art De Triomphe is a pretty exciting filly going into the spring as well.”