GULGONG trainer Brett Thompson had the chance to take Slate on Edge to Rosehill on Sunday but instead opted to run his star grey at the Wellington Valley Handicap (1400m).
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It paid off.
Jockey Jacob Gilchrist led the six-year-old gelding from start to finish to win by one-and-a-half lengths ahead of Mark Katch's Subtlety ($2.60) and Jane Clement's White Stocking ($2.30), despite drawing the top weight of 62.5kg - more than six kilograms heavier than the next heaviest.
It was another huge win for Thompson's Gulgong stable who have been on an unbelievable run of form during the past month.
Thompson was obviously pleased with his decision to run Slate On Edge at Wellington on Sunday and keep his streak going.
"He went really well," he said.
"Jacob (Gilchrist) my apprentice road him really well, it was only his third ride back from a broken wrist.
"I told him just to let the good horse bounce himself out of the barriers and put himself in front.
"I said just hold him together and guide him around and that's what he did."
Gilchrist certainly did not hold Slate On Edge back, despite a trip to Melbourne just around the corner for the grey series which he won at Moonee Valley last year.
"He pulled up good after the run and he pulled up good this morning (Monday)," he said.
"He'll head to Melbourne at the end of this week, it will be hard to go down there and win it again but you never know he's going really well.
"I've got a two-year-old in Armidale tomorrow (Tuesday), if she goes good and wins she might head down with him."
With the form Slate On Edge has shown thus far this season there is every chance the six-year-old gelding can make it two from two in the grey series in Melbourne.
According to Thompson the best is yet to come.
"He's not 100 per cent, he's probably only 85 per cent fit at the moment," he said.
"He'll probably be 95 when he has his Caulfield run and then hopefully 100 per cent when he's at Moonee Valley, the race he won last year.
"He's got more improvement in him, he's getting better every time he has a run."
The Thompson stable's run of form doesn't seem to be slowing, with another win on Monday at Cessnock, Archfulofsuprises passing the post ahead of Greg Bennett's All Well (IRL) and Steve Hodge's Sharani.
That win made it 12 wins for the month, a new personal best for the Gulgong stable.
With Thompson's wins usually coming in the second half of the season, expect this current run of form to continue in the weeks to come.
