ABOUT Time fought on courageously to deliver his Gunnedah stable a deserving win in Saturday's $40,000 Highway Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens.
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The Gavin Groth-trained gelding notched his fifth win after jockey Anthony "Choc" Cavallo went forward from his wide barrier and led all the way to win by a head.
"We had barrier 16 and 59kg topweight," Gavin Groth said after the victory.
"We went forward and threw caution to the wind. Been wanting to do that for some time with him though because he goes better when he's guided by the rail. Out wide he loses concentration and looks around.
“Choc rode him a treat. He led by a couple of lengths but when they started coming at him Choc said he just kept fighting.
"It was a really good win for us."
He and wife Fiona also own the gelding although that wasn't the original plan.
Originally he was going to syndicate him after he arrived in his stable with a win over 1200m to his name.
"However he went terrible at Bingara so I couldn't put anyone in him," he said.
"It's been a lot of hard work since, a real hard slog with him. Choc thinks the penny might have dropped with him but I'm not so sure yet."
Groth also had Blu Boy Jag in the same race only for him to have no luck, sit four and five wide and finish midfield.
Inverell trainer Wayne Oakenfull returned to Toowoomba for more success with his talented five-year-old mare, Isla Poppy, on Saturday night.
The Five-year-old daughter of Jet Spur had won a Class 4 at Toowoomba back on May 21 and scored an emphatic win in Saturday night's $12,000 Benchmark 75 Handicap (1210m).
It was her sixth career win in 33 starts and followed her fifth in the Mothers Gift at Grafton.
Muswellbrook trainer Mark Schmetzer might have finally found the trick to Inside Line after the three-year-old filly broke through to win yesterday's Browning Motors Maiden Handicap (1450m) at Quirindi.
The daughter of Sebring has been a real handful and been backwards and forards from the breakers trying to cure her of her wilfulness.
Yesterday she fought on strongly for Rachael Murray to post a half length win at the big odds of 50-1.
"We thought she was a chance," Mark Schmetzer said.
"Her two runs this time haven't been too bad."
Hunter and North West Racing Association attention turns to Cessnock (tomorrow) and Muswellbrook (Sunday) this week after Quirindi raced yesterday.