It was a happy Easter indeed for Dubbo trainer Allan Gibson on Sunday as his lone hope at Mudgee Race Club scored victory a gutsy win.
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With a win and a second in his past two starts, Gibson's Podium Bound jumped a $4.60 chance in the Gooree Park Benchmark 58 Handicap (2000m).
Podium Bound and $4.40 favourite Mount Bulla went into the race as the main hopes and that's how it panned out.
In an enthralling finish after what had been a slow pace early on, the pair moved clear of the field late and went stride for stride towards the finish post.
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But Podium Bound, ridden towards the front by Ken Dunbar the entire trip, kept his nose in front and went on to score career win number four from start 27.
Dunbar had been patient early on, settling on the outside in sixth spot as the Justin Stanley-trained Good Host ($21) set a steady pace up front early on.
Lucky Elixir ($6), trained at Wellington by Michael Mulholland, made his move around the outside from deep as the field appraoched the bench for home and Dunbar then edged forward.
While Mulholland's hope faded late, Podium Bound powered forward in the middle of the track while Mount Bulla found some space to start his surge.
It soon became a race between two but it was Podium Bound who kept his head in front and went on to win in a photo.
Gibson was the only Dubbo trainer to score victory at Mudgee on Sunday while Garry Lunn had stablemates Comzig and Traffic Cop run second and third in the day's first event while the Darren Hyde-trained Tennessee Pasha finished third in the last race of the day.