After helping Little Miss Nic get back to winning ways on Boxing Day, jockey Jake Pracey-Holmes expects the mare to enjoy success at upcoming TAB meetings.
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Trained at Muswellbrook by Tim McIntosh, Little Miss Nic headed to Wellington with just the one win from 21 career starts.
But it was a big drop in class at the non-TAB meeting and Pracey-Holmes ensured the Become A Member of Wellington Race Club Class 1 Handicap (1100m) went as expected and got the $3 favourite to a comfortable two-and-half-length win.
"It's a big drop in class, non-TAB on Boxing Day, and she didn't handle the track really good but she just had too much class," Pracey-Holmes said.
"When she got there she pricked her ears a bit and she probably could have won by more if she wanted to.
"She'll win TAB races. This was a pretty weak race and she had to have won it."
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The Kieren Hazelton-trained Streets Of Suemori ($6) was threatening at one point while Always Hot ($4) was third.
There was a bumper crowd at Wellington Race Club for the annual meeting and it was a fitting scene for jockey Rasit Yetimova's final race in the country.
Yetimova returns to his home country of Turkey this week and he fell just short of a dream farewell at Wellington as he was just edged out and had to settle for second in the last event of the day.
The Rodney Robb-trained Spinher ($2.50 favourite), with Kath Bell-Pitomac in the saddle, gained an opening in the straight and lasted to win by a short head from Yetimova's mount Walbundrie, which finished fast down the outside from near last on the home turn in the Grand Hotel Benchmark 50 Handicap (1400m).
From the Catherine Chapman stable at Wellington the improving Walbundrie started the $14 outsider in the field but was very well backed and proved costly for bookmakers betting each way.
During his earlier times in Australia, Yetimova had considerable success in Tasmania and was the winner of an Apprentice's Premiership.
Representing Tasmania in the National Apprentices Championship in 2012, Yetimova rode Soldiers Salute to victory in the Western Australia heat at Ascot.
After moving to New South Wales he was attached to the Gary Nickson stable in Sydney and managed by Colin Nickson, who helped him become established in the Central West at Dubbo.
During this time he had success including a string of winners at one stage for Dubbo trainer Connie Greig and more recently some good wins for Collarenebri trainer Kelly Smith.
When back in Turkey, Yetimova intends taking up a position at the jockeys academy tutoring trackwork riders and apprentices.
