Courtney Dempster of Invercargill was the big winner of the Invercargill Harness Racing Club’s major promotion at their annual Diamonds Day race meeting at Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill on Sunday (21 Apr).

Dempster left the course with a Diamond Ring valued at $7400 courtesy of Coats & Schuck Jewellers and the Invercargill Harness Racing Club after a coupon bearing her name was drawn from the entries received after ladies were given a coupon each time they placed a bet of $5.

The win brought about a lovely coincidence for Dempster, a Legal Secretary at Walker Murdoch Law in Invercargill, as her mum’s engagement ring was purchased from Coats & Schuck Jewellers around 25 years ago.

Dempster was delighted with the win.

“I come to the races often but my bets were a little up and down today, so this makes up for it. I am very lucky."

"Thank you to the sponsors of this prize, Coats & Schuck Jewellers and the Invercargill Harness Racing Club. It is great to get females to the races and there were lots of young faces here today which is great for the industry too.”

Dempster has another connection to harness racing as she helps at Murray Brown’s Findlay Road stables - Murray and his wife Marilyn are her godparents - most Saturday’s.

.Meanwhile on the track the ten races provided exceptional racing for the large crowd with plenty of close finishes including one dead heat.

Favourite Rubira won the $110,000 Group 1 Diamond Creek 2YO Classic after a strong challenge from Always Dreaming on the run home while Flying Ellie took out the final of the $60,000 Group 2 Macca Lodge/Nevele R Stud Southern Oaks and Built For Glory, the $60,000 Group 2 Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes Final. Beach Flybye was the other feature race winner in the $40,000 Regent Car Court Southern Cups Final