The Ladbrokes Distance Challenge (605m) is taking trainers far and wide and the trip to Dawson Park was worth it for Allan Manwarring on Thursday.
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Manwarring’s Full Of Rust had never raced at Dawson Park before but there was no signs of discomfort in a his five-and-one-quarter length win.
The Nowra Hill trainer had raced in other legs of the series at the likes of Bulli, Dapto and Wentworth Park recently and the win at Dubbo keeps alive his chances of featuring in the final at Wentworth Park.
“It usually takes him a run on a track so I’m pretty happy for him to get some points and it’s off to Grafton for the next one and then hopefully on to town,” Manwarring said after the win.
“We were just outside the eight before today so hopefully this gives us a few points but I think we need a few more so we’ll be off to Grafton. We’re lucky he’s a good traveler and that’s half the battle.”
There was plenty of contact early in the race, resulting in Zipping Hondo falling, but Full Of Rust ($2.80 favourite) managed to avoid all that and settle inside the top three.
He soon got to the lead and then powered further in front down the back straight.
It was his race to lose at the bend and a dog who impressed when running second over 720m at Wentworth Park last start was not going to get caught.
“You’ve got to have a little luck in any race but when he found the bunny he was always going to be hard to beat,” Manwarring said.
Packey Keeping ($3.90) ran second as the ten dog for Shayne Stiff while Hooter Harnett ($12.40) was third.
It had been a much better result for Stiff just one race earlier when Lexie Keeping took out the third heat of the Ladbrokes Challenge Series (516m).
Having impressed against easier company, Thursday was a big test for Lexie Keeping ($2.30 favourite) but she passed it with flying colours in a four-and-a-quarter length win, boosting her own chances of making the final.
“It was a nice win. She went really good at Bathurst on Monday and well here today,” Stiff said.
“We’ll have to head to Grafton now and with the points I think she might be about tenth out of about the 40 or 50 in the heats so when they update it all we’ll have a really good look.
“Monday-week we’ll head to Grafton and hopefully qualify for the final at Wenty.”
Lexie Keeping beat home Tina’s Magic ($17.90) and Cicatriz ($12.30).
Tina’s Magic went close to making it four winners for Pamela Braddon, who trained the victor in three of the first five races.