Ori On Fire (Robbie Dolan, $5) and Andy’s A Star (Mathew Cahill, $5.50) finished first and third respectively in the 1100 metre feature, while Orange trainer Michael Plummer’s Fine Hero finished in sixth.

Neither of Crockett’s racers were anywhere near the front with 500 metres to go, but put on a burst of speed over the final 200 metres to overtake the three race leaders in Manzana, Miss Fisher and Invincible Tammy, who all faded after leading from the front.

​“They must have been going quick because he never looked like leading,” Crockett told Sky Thoroughbred Racing.

“Both horses run really well. An encouraging run from Andy but Ori deserves that because he tries hard all the time.

“I think he’s run in two Country Championship qualifiers, one when he was a three-year-old, third or fourth start in a race and only got beat by a length-and-a-half or something like that so he really deserves to win a decent race like that.”

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Crockett said he was targeting this year’s Country Championships with both horses.

“I think Andy’s A Star obviously needs a lot further, as we thought so that was a huge run,” he said.

“And Ori, the way he settled then, 1400 no problem I don’t think.”

Dolan, an apprentice under Mark Newnham and in the running for Racing NSW’s Rising Star title, said “everything just went to plan” with Ori On Fire.

“I knew there was going to be a lot of speed and although he’s normally ridden on the pace, there’s no point challenging for the lead if you’ve no horse at the end,” he said.

“I just had him comfortable in my hands and came into the race at the right time and he was just too good for them in the end.”

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It’s been a stellar season for Dolan, who is locked in a tremendous Rising Star battle with Jenny Duggan.

Duggan led the point score on 18 points until Wyong’s December 19 heat, but was overhauled after Dolan won aboard Fuchu.

Dolan’s seven points pushed him to 22 points to edge past Duggan (three points for third) on 21 points, with Mikayla Weir (16 points) back in third place.

The next Series heat is at Tamworth on Friday, with the running of the $22,000 Country Music Cup 24 January Class 3 – Heat of the Rising Star (1400m). A win could open the door for Weir, with Dolan and Duggan both unlikely to compete.