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A flying visit across the Tasman has paid dividends for Victorian jockey Liam Riordan, who rode back-to-back winners at Ashburton on Saturday with Fellini and Vivacious.
Riordan has formed a successful association with Te Akau Racing's Cranbourne stable over the last 12 months, and he accepted an invitation from trainer Mark Walker to make his New Zealand debut with a handful of mounts at Ashburton this weekend.
The 27-year-old wasted no time in making his mark, steering Fellini to victory in the McCrea Painters Decorators Ashburton Cup (1600m) and following it up 35 minutes later with a well-timed finish aboard Vivacious in the Clem & Russell Brand Memorial (1400m).
Fellini brought strong form into Saturday's $50,000 Ashburton Cup, having recorded a win and a close second over 1800m in his previous two starts at Riccarton.
Riordan gave him a perfect run, angling across from gate 12 to take up a handy position in sixth on the rail.
Fellini was travelling smoothly coming down the side of the track, and Riordan left the fence and switched across heels just before the home turn.
Fellini finished over the top of Ears Back and Riviera Rebel down the straight, pulling ahead to win by a length.
"That was a very good win, and gee that was a brilliant ride by Liam after jumping from gate 12," said Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson. "They should show that ride at apprentice school."
Fellini's purple patch this spring has been a welcome return to form for the Belardo gelding, who won twice as a two-year-old and placed in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) but then lost form during his three and four-year-old seasons.
The five-year-old has now had a total of 30 starts for seven wins, seven placings and $240,415 in stakes. He was bought by David Ellis for $40,000 from the Book 1 draft of Valachi Downs at Karaka 2021.
"I'd like to thank the owners, they've been very patient," Walker said. "He's just coming of age again and handling his racing better. Hunter (Durrant) and the staff at Riccarton have got him going really well.
"We've varied his training to include a lot of jumping and it seems to be really agreeing with him. We'll have a think about the TAB Mile (Gr.3, 1600m) on the middle day of Cup Week (November 13). He's certainly in a rich vein of form."