QUIRINDI trainer Geoff O'Brien spearheaded a major upset at Mudgee on Friday.
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The outstanding HNWRA trainer of longstanding sent Lope De Vega around in the $50,000 Montrose Mudgee Cup Day Sprint (1200m) and the seven-year-old gelding was sent out the long-price outsider at 25-1.
Someone forgot to tell the horse and, after being handed the perfect ride by Matt Cahill, popped off the rail to surge home for a half length win from Good Time Charlie with Ori On Fire a length away third.
Lope De Vega was second in this year's Quirindi Cup (1600m) and then won at Newcastle before going for a long spell.
The 21 week spell was just the tonic O'Brien said.
"We gave him a good, long spell, got all the crap out of him," he said.
"He was a real handful but he's a changed horse."
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Cahill always had him in a good position and enabled him to finish strongly.
"We had a nice run and he did the rest," he said.
"Geoff had him nice and fresh."
While he surprised by winning O'Brien always knew he'd run a good race.
"He always goes good first up," O'Brien said.
"Always has a dig."
"I told Matt wherever you are he will finish off."
Wyong gelding Hammond Lane won the $75,000 Robert Oatley Vineyards Mudgee Cup (1600m) for trainer Jeff Englebrecht.
Brett Cavanough also had success at Mudgee when Boom Gate won for his Scone stable.
The half brother of Star Boy came from last with a storming run to notch a second career win at start number five.
"The race was set up for him," Cavanough said.
