Hurst drove Smokin Bopper and Stacey Ann Maree to victory while his brother Blair was in the gig of Flight Express when he recorded a clinical win midway through the meeting.

Hurst was Dubbo Harness Racing Club's leading trainer last season and he confessed after his first win of the night, Smokin Bopper's, it was a track he enjoyed driving at.

"We usually make the trip and we've got eight in tonight and it's always good coming here and getting a win makes it even better," he said.

Few of his wins at the track lately have been as satisfying as Smokin Bopper's with the seven-year-old finally breaking through for his first win in more than 18 months.

Injuries and inconsistent form have been the gelding's trademark in recent times but in the Fly Like An Eagle at Yirribee Pacing Stud Pace (2120m) he produced an impressive run.

After sitting deep early on, Hurst made his move as the field got the bell and by the time they hit the straight he was locked in a three-way battle with Raging Rhuben ($5) and Laser In Flight ($18.80).

But Smokin Bopper ($2.80 favourite) kicked well and won by a half-neck, much to the delight of Hurst.

"He had a really big year the first year we had him and then he went amiss but we found the problem and he had a long spell but he's come back and it's good to get a win with him because he's favourite of the stables," he said, before speaking about the tight finish.

"I did (think I'd win) sort of halfway down the straight but right on the line he knocked up a bit and they came for him but he went really well."

The night began with a win for the driver formerly known as Ashlee Siejka, with the talented reinswoman showing a change of name has done nothing to affect her quality.

After getting married recently, the Bathurst-based trainer-driver now competes as Ashlee Grives and after getting her first win under her married name on Saturday night the success continued at Dubbo with Limitation.

"I got the monkey off my back on Saturday night with the name change so it was good to get the ball rolling and hopefully there's more winners," she said.

Limitation ($5.60) was the late mail runner at the track and despite favourite Mahkooloo Lasarus ($1.90) leading for the majority of the journey, Grives got her mare to move down the straight and she went on to blitz the field.

It was a drought-breaking win for the Kiwi seven year-old with her past win coming back in New Zealand in June of last year, well before she came into Grives' stable.

"I've been happy with most her runs in our stable, she's ran consistent," she said.

"But she's pretty tough and once she got to the breeze I thought she'd be hard to chase down but I didn't expect her to go on and get there so easy."