Some dreaded a reduced turnout due to the spate of race cancellations that have struck the Central West due to ongoing problems with heat and smoke, while some locals expressed concern that the event might be canned altogether.

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But there was plenty of clear, blue sky on offer during the five race event and little in the conditions that could slow or stop Poppy Field from scoring a maiden win in definitive style.

The Muswellbrook trained horse, who's owned and trained by mother and daughter in law pairing Kerrie Northey and Cassandra Stummer and was rode by Kerrie's son Daniel Northey, has only recently joined the family owned and operated stable.

The three year old filly previously raced for Rodney Northam out of Scone, but struggled to find any form, placing ninth, fourteenth and ninth in her first three starts.

After making the switch to Stummer's stable, Poppy Field rode in 11 out of 13 in Muswellbrook at home at the tail end of November and entered Thursday's boxing day contest as one of the least favoured horses on the track.

Down the 900m run in Wellington, showed off something special, clinging to the middle of the pack in the early going before showing off an impressive burst of speed along the final stretch to get the better of even favourites, the Brian Walker trained Buwan and Garry McCarney's Exquisite Dreamer.

Buwan finished the race in second place, but with nothing in it as the unlikely underdog Poppy Field thundered past the post by nearly three full lengths.

The horse showed plenty of kick heading to the winner's placing and had energy to burn coming back down the track.

Following Buwan was Jim McMillan's Alison Princess, ridden by Rasit Yetimova.

Making the victory all the sweeter for Stummer and her fledgling stable was that the winning run was only the second start out of her stable total, and her first win as a trainer.

Stummer wasn't the only trainer with plenty of reason to celebrate on Thursday, however, with Dubbo trainer Kody Nestor tallying up a winning double on the day, taking out both the Allandale Merino Stud Class 1 Handicap (1100m) with Miss Academy and the Hermitage Hill Country Retreat Benchmark 50 Handicap (1400m) with Dad's Boy.

The win is the second of Miss Academy's career, who had to draw out her very best in order to taste victory.