The seven-year-old gelding son of Stratum was first up from a spell on a tough track but kicked home for a three quarter length win from Lismore mare Ms Ba Bella.

Quirindi gelding So You Know, who led most of the way, was another three quarters of a length away in a gallant third.

Hunter Jack, who won last year’s Armidale Cup for Martin, ran the Cup in 1min 26.42secs, beating the track and race record (1min 24.6secs) set by Brundaberg in his 2002 Cup win.

It was also the second leg of a winning double for jockey Greg Ryan, who had won the previous race on Epic Dan.

Martin reckoned Ryan’s effort aboard Hunter Jack was one to savour.

“Mr Cullen (chief stipendiary steward) should take a video of that and show it to all the apprentices at the apprentice schools,” Martin.

“That’s how good a ride it was.”

Ryan was delighted to win a race he thought he’d never, like Martin, won before.

“We had a nice run,” he said.

“Just tracked up beautifully at the right time.

“I got on the back of Pera Pera and he carted me into the race.”

Stable foreman, Justin Webb, in charge of Hunter Jack, said everything went right.

“He’s a good country cups horse,” he said.

“Tim set him for this race, to win it first up is nice and nice to be Tim’s first one.”

Martin might head his first Walcha Cup winner to Canberra for the Canberra Cup now while jousting for a second successive Armidale Cup is also a possibility.

“He’s been working really well,” he said while never fearing about him being first up from a spell.

“I told a few of the boys down here he feels like a Ferrari,” he said.

“Great to have won my first Walcha Cup but I’d never really targeted it before.

“Always chased a Ron Martin Maiden.

“Won five of those I think but only had two runners in the Cup before and had no luck with them.”