This was a disappointing field for the Premier Grand National Hurdle (4200m) in both numbers and depth plus the visiting North Island yard of Kevin 'Dummy' Myers had five of the seven runners and that included the first four favourites in the betting. Without the Myers army descending on Riccarton for the week this Premier Hurdle event would not have taken place. Happy Star started favourite and the Myers prepared runner was far too good winning in the end by sixteen lengths and clocking 5.14.63. This was the only race on the middle day held on the turf proper track at Riccarton with the rest of this card held on the Synthetic for the first time ever. The easy winner Happy Star trailed third on the inner then was second down the backstraight the last time before lodging a challenge across the top then taking the lead. The 7yo gelding then strode clear and had the race in safe keeping at the 400m plus once he cleared the last hurdle was the certain victor. It was only his second ever Hurdle outing and he is now two for two having also raced close then taking the lead across the top to bolt in. Since coming to the Myers yard he has now raced seven times for three wins (a hattrick in fact with two Hurdle wins and an 1800m flat win) and a second. He is a jumping find and has no stamina issues plus his flat ability means between the fences he can really put his rivals to the stamina plus race pace sword. Second home albeit very distant was also a Myers trained runner in He's Ric that set the pace and then got headed by the eventual winning stablemate across the top but boxed on bravely. He's Ric maintained his top three in every Hurdle start so far (five Hurdle runs for two wins and three placings) today it should be noted too. Third home and beaten twenty-three and a half lengths was the running on Phelan Foxy that settled down a clear last and ran on gamely. The 8yo got third on the post and would win here at Riccarton the last day in a 3200m lesser grade Hurdle event. Fourth home and just missing the Myers trifecta was Hey Happy that raced second last on his own before moving into fifth then fourth only to be left third after a faller two fences from home. A distant fifth was Mizzena that raced in that spot most of the way before reaching third across the top then weakening the run home. She was the last actual runner to finish the race and was beaten over thirty-lengths. Interllectus, which started second favourite for the Myers yard, raced second chasing the leader then was third the outer and ended up fifth at the 800m before drifting right out and stopping badly. He was pulled up three fences from home. Dal Kilchoan raced fourth the outer and was wide across the top and moved up third near the home turn only to fall two fences from home. This was not a very strong field at all through the winner Happy Star does look untapped as a jumper plus he has that flat speed between the fences.