Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

The advent of social media ensured that a sensational comeback by jockey Aaron Kuru in the opening steeplechase of the Manawatu Racing Club meeting last Saturday, quickly became the talk of the racing world within minutes of the race.

Des Du Jue crashed at the first fence, before jockey Kuru grabbed the horses bridle and regained his seat with enough time to have a quick chat to the arriving clerk of the course, before horse and jockey set sail after the departing field.

To the astonishment of commentator Tony Lee and the assembled punters, Des Du Jue not only caught the field but raced clear down the straight to score a stunning victory.

This long-time punter can remember a similar occurrence over five decades ago, which caught the attention of commentator Syd Tonks and the media men catching the live action.

The 1967 Great Northern Steeplechase, then held in June each year, was just as action packed as last Saturday's Awapuni racecourse high drama.

Eiffel Tower ran off at the water jump in front of the stands, with jockey Bill Hillis steering his horse back into the race some fifty lengths in arrears of the departing field.

Chasing up the Ellerslie hill for the third and final time, Eiffel Tower surged back into contention, before holding out Ringlock in one of the most remarkable displays of courage and stamina witnessed at the Ellerslie course.

Another steeplechase that required truck-loads of stamina took place at our own Gate Pa course in 1963.

The runners in the Bay of Plenty Steeplechase set out to run two and a three-quarter miles, with the leader taking them towards the straight for what should have been the second and last time - but they were waved into the centre of the course again and the jockeys found themselves doing another round.

Victory went to Triple Count, something of a dour plodder who might not otherwise been in the money, the others having covered nearly four miles instead of the planned two and three-quarters, were a weary lot indeed.

This Saturday brings the annual Kiwifruit Cup meeting back to the Gate Pa course.

There was a sensation in the race in 1988, when Quasin ran down Watch Officer ridden by top jockey Opie Bossom.

Watch Officer appeared to have the race in safe keeping, when comfortably clear of the opposition in the straight but when Bossom sat up thinking had the race in the bag, Quasin got up to beat him

The winter open handicap that usually attracts starters from throughout the North Island, started life as the Owens Trophy, named after Tauranga iconic leader Bob Owens later to become Sir Robert Owens.

After six years under the Owens Trophy banner, the race had several commercial sponsors names, before connection with the Kiwifruit industry in 1992 with the running of the BOP Combined Packhouse handicap.

The first winner of the Combined Packhouse feature was an outstanding galloper in Ray Hopes who won the Group 1 Easter Handicap at Ellerslie in 1991.

Jim Pender, who trains on the Gate Pa track and has won nearly all the Racing Tauranga main attractions over the years, was successful in 2004 with Crown Prince ridden by Matamata jockey Michael Coleman.

Jim is has a unique place in New Zealand thoroughbred racing having trained over one hundred winners on his home track.

There will be plenty of excitement for punters on course at the Bay of Plenty premier racecourse on Saturday.

The Bay of Plenty Punter of the Year will be a major attraction, with the top prize being free entry and expenses to the New Zealand Punter of the Year in Hawke's Bay during the spring.