Christmas came early for Andrew Palmer on Friday as the Dubbo trainer celebrated his first win in almost seven years.
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Palmer has only been backing in the training game for a number of months after walking away in late 2013.
Ready’s Queen is currently his only horse in work but he gave Palmer reason to cheer when taking out the opening event of Friday’s Christmas twilight meeting.
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“It’s awesome,” Palmer said, before laughing about his return to training.
“I missed it and I ran out of money and I just wanted to get back into it.”
The opening event of Friday’s meeting, the Chill-Rite Dubbo Maiden Handicap (1310m), was all about two horses in the lead-up.
The Gayna Williams-trained We Can’t Be Beaten jumped a $2.10 favourite while Little Caesar, trained by Clint Lundholm, was on the second line of betting at $2.60.
No other horse started in single figures and while Ready’s Queen was a $31 chance, Palmer went into the event with confidence.
He had run ninth on debut earlier this month for Palmer, having previously been trained by Wyong’s Wayne Seelin.
His failed to win there as well but the Dubbo trainer was still optimistic.
That feeling was justified as Jake Pracey-Holmes led virtually the whole way and hung on to win in a tight finish.
“I thought she’d go pretty well today,” Palmer said.
“It was really only those top two in this race and I thought she had a good chance.
“If you go back and have a look at her runs she's been alright in stronger grades and it was a bit weaker today.”
Ready’s Queen got away well from barrier eight and skirted around the field and took the lead early on.
She quickly shot clear of the field and led by four lengths at one point while Little Caesar and Banjin Rain ($12) led the chase.
The field bunched as they reached the bend for home but Ready’s Queen still had a handy advantage in the straight.
We Can’t Be Beaten finally began to surge on the outside while Banjin Rain pushed along the rails as Ready’s Queen was attacked on both sides.
The favourite surged late but Palmer’s hope won by a head.
There was a dead heat for second, but Pracey-Holmes always knew he had the win.
“I knew I won,” he grinned.
“I thought we might have gone a bit hard and she was getting a bit keen and getting her head up a bit.”
Pracey-Holmes rode the mare last time out but he said she felt vastly different this time out.
“When I parked here today I saw her and she looked a lot better in the coat and I thought she might have come on,” he said.
“There was plenty of improvement on last start and it was a good tough win. Hopefully she can go on with it.”
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
