The seven-year-old gelding Fourth Protocol, who last appeared in a third place earning effort in Dubbo, sat slightly behind the Greg Ryan jockeyed French Giggle in Gilgandra's opening race, but finished up far in front.

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The Allan MacRae trained French Giggle took the lead on the bend, but was too busy battling with the Alison Smith trained Seawatch to stop Bell-Pitomac and Fourth Protocol from slipping through between them close to the rail, thundering home in the final dash to finish up a half a length ahead.

Jake Pracey-Holmes secured second place with a late burst from Mark Milton's Escebee, while the Bryan Dixon trainde Penny Bonitas finished strong around the outside to secure third.

While McCarthy and Bell-Pitomac were unable to replicate the success in the later Maiden Handicap with Shadow Again, the Wellington jockey did pick up a third place finish with Wellington trainer Karen McCaroll's Gunnerside in the race meet's Maiden Plate.

The pairing again bested McCaroll's brother Greg Ryan, in that event.

Local trainer Bryan Dixon claimed the Hotel Collie Cup at the end of the day, taking out a win with La La Loopsy in a race where Kath Bell-Pitomac and the Gavin Groth trained Redemption Road entered as heavy favourites.

Bell-Pitomac picked up a cheque from third place in that race, with the Brett Thompson trained Attalea claiming second.

Redemption Road came home hard down along the rail, but La La Loopsy was too quick for the horses flanking them, outpacing Redemption Road and narrowly besting Attalea on the outside.

Dubbo trainer Kody Nestor also found success earlier in the day, securing a second and third place finish for Ima Bullet and Little Jerry in the Maiden Handicap mid-way through the event.