The Wellington trainer had two starters and combined with Wellington jockey Daniel Pitomac to claim the opening race, a Plumthorpe Pastoral Company Class 1 and Maiden Plate (1720 metres) with Cadeyrn.

The five-year-old bay gelding proved his favouritism ($2.50) in a literal two-horse race, as Pitomac guided him to a narrow, 0.5 length win ahead of Bryan Dixon’s Dizzy Spell ($8, Reece Jones). The next best, Sally Torrens’ Leica Boot ($13, Grace Willoughby), finished 5.24 lengths behind.

But Mulholland and Pitomac could not repeat the feat in the $12, 500 Barraba and District Cattle Breeders 2018 Barraba Cup

Steamin’ ($9) finished seventh in the 1400m feature.

It was a tight field in every sense of the word, with just 0.09 of a length separating the second- and third-placed finishers.

Apache Lad ($8.50, Brooke Stower) finished just 0.67 lengths ahead of Beale Street ($3.50, Wendy Peel), and 0.76 lengths ahead of $1.60 favourite Skyscraper (Jake Hull).