Despite some heavy rain in the area on Friday the meeting went ahead on a surface rated as a heavy 8, and Clint Lundholm went within a whisker of claiming the first race on the card for the two-year-olds.

His gelding Joey's Destiny ($2.70, Greg Ryan), a half-brother to handy sprinter Snippety Sip, led until the final stages of the 800m event before being nailed by Title Holder ($4.80, Leanne Henry) from the James Cummings stable.

But he had more luck later in the program when Any Blinkin' Day returned to winning form with a comfortable victory in the Tony's Windscreen Repairs Class 2 Handicap (1400m).

The 2014 Silver Goblet winner, Any Blinkin' Day ($2.20 fav, Greg Ryan) appeared to be off the bit approaching the turn while $21 chance Blinkin Doubtful (Catherine Newcombe) was travelling well in the lead.

But the four-year-old Any Given Saturday (USA) x Mask Cheval gelding hit top gear once balanced and wore down the leader to go on and win by one-and-a-half lengths, with Some Nights ($15, Aaron Sweeney) a further two-and-three-quarter lengths away in third place.

Peter Nestor also put aside the disappointment of being beaten with Harder Faster earlier in the day when Cool Ice came out and took out the Australia Day Handicap (1400m).

Ryan was again in the saddle as Cool Ice ($4.60) nailed the Jenny Hoy-trained Opoho ($10.00, Mick Travers) right on the line.

Darren Hyde's warhorse Cardiff Prince ran another good race, finishing third after starting as a $3.50 favourite.

But the most impressive of the Dubbo winners was no doubt Prattler, which had six lengths on his rivals in the Telescope Tyres Benchmark 55 Handicap (1200m).

Ridden by Mathew Cahill, the Justin Stanley-trained gelding was rated a $5.50 chance but gave nothing else a chance as he romped home to beat City Boots, prepared by Stanley's father Peter.