Trained by Peter Reynolds and driven by his son Madison, the five-year-old was given every chance when parked one-out, one-back in the running line at the bell and made every post a winner in the closing stages.

The $4.80 chance went on to beat Western Lover ($5.00, Martin Simmonds) and the $3.70 favourite Imposing Sign (Lurt Lew).

The race was restricted to Dubbo and district-trained horses and was nicely set up for Sweet Carolina.

“It was a nice win and we don’t get the chance to see her race living in Maitland,” Tony Linnane said.

“She was off the scene for a long time before resuming with a sixth in the Red Ochre Mares Classic last week.

“That was about all we could expect from her although she showed a lot of improvement here again tonight.

“She suffered some swelling in a front leg that put her preparation back a couple of weeks so the Red Ochre was probably just a bit soon for her to be at her best.”

Sweet Carolina was bred by the Linnanes out of their good mare Oh Carolina who won 13 races from 43 starts and banked more than $122,000 in prizemoney. She finished her racing career with David Murphy in Victoria in 2001.

Her best result by far was to win the Ladyship Mile at Harold Park for Murphy, a race that was worth more than $50,000 for connections.

The Linnanes invested some of that prizemoney into another race horse and the result was Sweet Carolina (Art Major USA x Oh Carolina).

This mare has in the past had her problems and had a couple of seasons under the watchful eye of leading trainer Steve Turnbull at Bathurst.

Peter and Madison Reynolds have her back in their stable and say she’s now a lot more docile mare, probably because she’s now a five-year-old.

Her racing record now stands at nine wins from 48 starts and 19 minor placings for just under $45,000 in stakes money.