Melanie O'Gorman is excited.
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The Tamworth trainer's five-year-old gelding, Akecheta delivered an eye-catching performance in winning the $20,000 Armidale Locals 4 Locals Class 2 Handicap (1100m) at Armidale on Tuesday.
It was Akecheta's first run since coming fifth at Muswellbrook over 1280m on February 3 - and O'Gorman is now eyeing a Highway Handicap for the horse.
Ashley Morgan rode him on Tuesday to a win of more than two lengths over the Tony Newing-trained Kiwi gelding In Fiore (Matthew McGuren), on what was race four of a seven-race TAB meeting.
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It was his third victory in 12 starts, boosting his career prize money to more than $48,000. Akecheta - the equal-second top weight in the race at 57.kg - jumped from barrier four in an eight-horse field and paid $2.80 for the win (TAB fixed odds).
Akecheta is owned by Sydneysider Anthony Gow-Gates. O'Gorman trained the Gow-Gates-owned Suncraze to second place in The Kosciuszko in 2018.
She said: "I've had him [Akecheta] since he was a yearling ... I sort of did all the early work on him. He [Gow-Gates] then gave him one prep in Sydney, and the trainer in Sydney didn't think he had a lot of ability.
"So the horse came back to me, and he's been with me ever since."
O'Gorman said Akecheta was a good fresh horse and Tuesday's race was ideal for him. "So it's nice to get that win on the board early ... and I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun this prep," she said.
