Kody Nestor is all too familiar with the feeling of returning to the mounting yard on a winner but it was a new sensation on Thursday when he celebrated his first victory as a trainer.
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Nestor retired from being a jockey after last year’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting at Dubbo Turf Club so it was fitting he trained his first winner at his home track as well.
It was Kenny Succeed which scored for Nestor, cruising to a convincing three-and-three-quarter-length win in the Country Championships Are Coming Benchmark 55 Handicap (1000m).
”It’s a big thrill and I rode for a few years and rode a few winners but this is a different feeling, that’s for sure,” Nestor told Sky Thoroughbred Central after the win.
After running second on debut for Nestor at Wellington earlier this year, Kenny Succeed ran fourth at Narromine before the win at Dubbo.
Nestor stated he took plenty out of the result at Narromine with the winner that day, Lee Van Den Bos’ Loves A Hassle, taking out a competitive Country Championships preview at Bathurst recently.
On Thursday, apprentice jockey Chris Williams got Kenny Succeed ($3.40) to the lead early and from there he just controlled proceedings.
He led the field into the bend and then booted clear, winning easily from Brett Cavanough’s Your Mine Ours ($2.90 favourite) and Fioravanti ($19).
“We put the claimer on him today and let him roll along, he had the ears pricked, and I think that’s the way to ride him,” Nestor said.
Williams was also delighted after a ride which went according to plan.
“He travelled like an absolute gem. Kody said just let him role, it doesn’t matter if he was four or five lengths in front but make sure he’s breathing right and he’ll finish of well,” he said.
“He’s been going well in trackwork so I was pretty confident, we just needed him to relax in those middle stages and then kick and then that’s what he did.”