The 26-year-old, an apprentice endentured to Sue Grills at Tamworth, said: “It was my first ride on him. He went super, always travelled well for me.”

She had given Montana Pines the box seat too, sitting in behind leaders Dan Roy and Katgully Red before moving off the fence as they turned, carting Schappose four wide.

He then finished strongly to snare his second win for Grills and his second win in three starts this preparation.

The win, in a race that doubled as a Rising Star heat, took Peel further in front in the Hunter and North West Racing Association apprentices’ premiership as well as enabling her to join Dolan on 22 points in the Rising Star Series.

It was the 50th win of Peel’s fledgling career. She snagged a double when the Craig Weeding-trained Single Zero won race six, the Helen Hunt F&M Maiden Plate (1200m).

In the County Music Cup January 24 Class 3 Handicap, Cejay Graham’s second on Katgully Red elevated her to 20 points in the Rising Star Series and outright fourth place. Jenny Duggan (21) is in third place.

The win took Grills a win closer to Kris Lees (18) on the HNWRA trainers’ premiership. She now trails Lees by two wins.

The Tamworth trainer was delighted with the performance of Montana Pines but had been a little worried before the race that he, “being a lazy bugger”, might not race well for Peel.

“I was a bit worried,” Grills said. “He’s so lazy. I thought he might not go for Wendy but he is going really well.

“He did run a lot of placings last time [his last preparation], was consistent without winning, but this time he is going really well.”

READ ALSO:

Grills said a $30,000 Showcase at Tamworth on January 24 – “either a class two or three over 1400m – was “perfect for him”.

Rising Star Series: Wendy Peel 22, Robbie Dolan 22, Jenny Duggan 21, Cejay Graham 20, Mikayla Weir 17, Sam Weatherley 15, Jean Van Overmeire 12, Leah Kilner 11, Louise Day 10, Blaike McDougall 8, Qin Yong 8, Rebeka Prest 7, Patrick Scorse 7.