Captain Rio enjoyed a successful afternoon on both sides of the Tasman today with three winners from just four starters.

At Avondale it was Rio Nugget who got the ball rolling with a win in the $6,000 John T Anderson Farewell Maiden 1200m for the Mike and Paul Moroney stable.

The three-year-old filly was having her fourth raceday start and appeared to relish the better track conditions than she struck at her last start when fifth.

Rio Nugget is raced by high profile Hong Kong owner Deborah Ho who purchased her as a yearling from the 2008 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Select Sale for $40,000 from the draft of Rodmor Stud.

In the following race fellow Matamata trained filly Two Tones lead her rivals home in the $6,000 Equine Performance Therapy 3YO maiden 1200m in the hands of Mark Du Plessis.

The Wayne and Vanessa Hillis trained filly is raced by her breeder and well known equine vet Jim Marks and is a half sister to the 2008 Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes winner, Juice.

The focus then turned to Eagle Farm where Golden Dove closed second favourite to Postponed gelding Cinque Terre in the $13,000 Myer Maiden Plate 2175m.

Trained by Alan Bailey, Golden Dove showed she had taken no harm from her run on Saturday when she circled the field on the turn and ground away for the win.

Cinque Terre was not disgraced in his first start over ground for former New Zealand trainer, Brian Smith.

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