THOROUGHBRED

The Kevin Myers trained RIOCH (Rainbow Myth) blew them away to win the L J Hooker Manawatu Steeples by 22 lengths on Saturday at Awapuni. Owned and raced by Dan O'Leary and his brother's Michael and Shaun he sounded an warning to future challengers after the spectacular 10 year old jumper extended his unbeaten record over the Country. has also won twice over the smaller fences with his only defeat coming in the 2009 Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton where he fell when a certain winner. He was subsequently sidelined for two winters by a shoulder injury and recurring tendon problems. "He's got a phenomenal jump on him and the bigger the fences the better he goes," O'leary said. "We always knew he had the potential, he stretched them out in that Grand National and then had the major fall and it was then all about getting him right again."

Regular rider Jo Rathbone allowed RIOCH to stride to the front after the fourth fence and from there on he never headed. He was under a hold a long way from home and left his rivals to it racing away from them 800 metres from home.