A brilliant front-running ride by Opie Bosson aboard rugged stayer In A Twinkling saw the pair combine to take out the Group 3 Ssangyong Counties Cup (2100m).

Sporting the tangerine and blue colours of Te Akau Racing, In A Twinkling and Bosson dictated play from the moment the field for the Group 3 feature left the starting gates. Allowed some soft sectionals throughout the middle stages, Bosson upped the tempo on the Fastnet Rock four-year-old with 600m to run and immediately had his nearest challengers struggling to respond.

Maintaining a strong gallop to the line, In A Twinkling registered his third career victory at his 17th start, comfortably holding out Cutadeel and Strolling Vagabond who dead-heated for second ahead of the well-supported Concert Hall.

Trainer Jamie Richards was delighted with the victory by a horse who had taken time to deliver on his three-year-old form which saw him finish runner-up in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) while also placing fifth in the Group 1 ATC Derby (2400m). “He's got really good form as a three-year-old although sometimes you question how genuine he is,” Richards said. “In front, rolling along and setting his own tempo is probably the way to ride him.

“He's had a bit of a frustrating run of seconds and been unlucky here and there so this is really good for the team. “He had very good form in Australia so he is a fair horse but you wouldn't play cards with him. “We'll take him home now and set him for the Waikato Cup (Group 3, 2400m) as he does have a future as a stayer with some nice races coming up.”

Purchased out of the Curraghmore draft at the 2017 Premier Yearling Sale for $250,000 by Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis, In A Twinkling is raced by the Te Akau Fastnet Moment syndicate and holds a nomination for the Group 3 NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham in January along with the Group 1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie in March.