Raymond Connors’ green and red colours will forever be known for six victories in the Great Northern Steeplechase (6400m) at Ellerslie between 1998 and 2019, but the respected Manawatu horseman returned to Auckland on Saturday and took the spoils in another major test of stamina.

Te Akau Racing, Blake Shinn and fantastic filly Damask Rose created a piece of New Zealand racing history when they took out the inaugural running of the richest race in the land, the newly minted $3.5 million Listed The NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie.