Coralie Joy was prepared by Richard Williams, the young Tamworth-based trainer who had three runners engaged in the $8,000 feature.

He was looking to go one, two and three in the sprint race over 1230 metres but instead had to be content with one, three and four.

“I’m not complaining,” said Williams. “It was a very good effort by all the horses – they all went very well.”

With a cracking mile rate of 1min 53.9sec, Coralie Joy was just outside the track record set by Culinary Delight in last year’s running of 1.53.6.

“Glad I have won it. It is a race I wanted to win,” said Williams. “She had a good barrier draw.” 

Coralie Joy may have had a good barrier draw out of the No. 2 spot but it was the combination of power and speed the mare displayed in the running that had everyone talking.

The mare stepped up another notch as the bell sounded to place a gap on her opposition in the back straight on the final occasion, with reinsman Tom Ison making up his own race plan as the race unfolded.

“I sort of just winged it,” said Ison. 

Coralie Joy and Queensland pacer Andiamo El Ferrari (Gary Litzow), who commenced from the one barrier, fought it out from start of the race.

Ison said: “I did think ‘Oh, my God, I have still got 200 [metres] to go’ when I came away from the field.”

Coralie Joy had a two-metre win over fast finishing Anna Bay Al (Brad Elder), with the second runner from the Williams stable, Midnight Montana (Sam Ison), another two metres away third.

The third runner from the stables, Comeon Howzat, finished fourth with Williams in the spider.

The meeting also saw the Williams Racing stable score their third training double since the inception of the stables just over a year ago, when new stable acquisition Gargzdai Girl won the opening event of the night – the TAB.com.au Pace.

“She went super – real good. It’s always nice to start the night off with a winner,” said Williams.

“I haven’t even had a trial with her. It was her first start for us. We have only had her for two weeks.”

Sam Ison handled Gargzdai Girl in the 1980m event, and after commencing from the 10 barrier, raced five back in the outside running line while Heez Perfect (Gary Litzow) led the field.

Ison raced around the field in the final lap, claiming victory by a head over Miss Catalina (Lola Weidemann), with Starzzzforlouise (Tom Ison) four metres away in third.

“She goes good,” said Ison after the win. “She came round that last turn real nice.” 

Gargzdai Girl paid $19.80 for the win.