Stephen Edwards only has the one horse in work but that's all he needs at the moment.
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Cloud Factory scored a second win for the Dubbo trainer on Monday when taking out the first of two heats in the Winter Country Classic series.
Cloud Factory's three starts in the past month are the only three races Edwards has contested this year and now he'll be in action again at next Friday's $27,000 final.
The three-year-old gelding, previously trained by John O'Shea, took out the heat for male horses while the Rodney Northam-trained Modernity took out the fillies and mares' heat.
"I thought if he could run in the first three it would be really good so he's done better and got a win, so it's good," Edwards told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
"It's great to see."
Under a fine ride from Mathew Cahill, Cloud Factory ($8.50) burst through a gap midway down the straight and then battled the Michael Mulholland-trained Universal Thief ($4.40 equal favourite) over the final stages.
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Cahill got Cloud Factory to lift and get the job done, while Bryan Dixon's Shehroz ($51) produced a fine run home to finish third.
Fourteen horses go through to the June 12 final, and Northam will be feeling positive about his chances after Modernity got back to her best on Monday.
Having been previously trained by Bjorn Baker, Scone-based had high hopes in Modernity's first start at her new home track last month but she only beat one horse home that day.
At Dubbo things were far different, as Ryan piloted the four-year-old Modernity ($12) to a tough victory ahead of a fighting Holy Empress ($3.40).
"It was a nice effort," Northam said post-race.
"I was really disappointed first-up. She never got a crack and ... I was confident she could run well today and we just got the luck at the right time.
"I had wanted a win on Scone Cup day but that didn't happen. But this is a nice consolation."
Holy Empress will still be one to watch in the final while Fiery Zone ($8.50) was third.
The field for the final and Silver Goblet will be released next Wednesday.
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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.
