The chestnut mare was a two-and-a-half length winner over Delagos to join Stan The Man (1998 and 1999) and Tompeppa (2011 and 2012) as recent back to back winners of the $8,500 feature.

Favourite Brave Maiden was another one-a-quarter length away third after leading the field up the hill and into the final turn.

Settling Classic Attitude just off the pace, jockey Terry Green manouvered her to the front half-way down the straight and she was never headed from there, much to the delight of her Murrurundi-based trainer Michael Dykes.

Dykes and wife Paula also own the Benico-Lady Choisir six-year old, and Paula said it felt “really good” to win the cup for the second time.

She hadn’t been too sure what to expect with Classic Attitude showing some indifferent form since resuming from a 32 week spell.

“We spelled her all winter,” Dykes said.

After a first up ninth at Qurindi at the start of the December, they thought she was “on song” when she ran a good fifth at Scone mid-month. But then she was very flat at Quirindi on Boxing Day and finished back in second last.

“Today she was a bit naughty,” she said.

They took that as a good sign.

It was a real family affair with Green the Dykes’ nephew.  He was originally going to Gilgandra but decided not to mid-week and rang them up to see if they needed a jockey, which they did.

Paula said they told him just to let her settle in.

“Ease her into it,” she said.

“She has got a bit of a sprint.”

They’re now looking to build her up to the Boggabri Cup, where she will be looking to emulate her New Years Day feats and go back to back.

Hundreds flocked to the track to celebrate the new year at the oldest country race meet in the country, with this year marking the 165^th running of the cup.

Tamworth trainer Sue Grills celebrated with a double with Ransack taking out the Jean Margaret Macdonald Memorial Maiden Plate and then My Dubleo Boy winning the Ray Kelly Fitness and Kelly Family Benchmark 45 Handicap.