Wellington's racing community had plenty of reason to cheer on Sunday, after an emphatic racing performance delivered the Gilgandra Cup to trainer Michael Mulholland and jockey Kath Bell-Pitomac.
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Mulholland certainly wasn't short on praise for the Wellington based hoop, who guided seven-year-old gelding Universal Thief to a win in the 1600m fixture.
"It's a really great result for her and she deserves every bit of credit she's earned for that win," Mulholland said of the fellow Wellington resident.
"She's a very hard worker and she's driving really good at the moment, so it's a good way to kick off the year."
While Cody Morgan's Shamusu Sho was the more favoured runner in the race at $3.40, Mulholland was confident of a victory in the lead-up, especially after a consistent showing in Wagga Wagga in Universal Thief's last trip to the track.
"I was pretty confident, actually, with everything this year, it wasn't an overly strong cup, and his run he did last time out at Wagga, he was right there in it," Mulholland said.
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Universal Thief finished up less than a length ahead of Morgan's Shamusu Sho, guided by Jake Pracey-Holmes, with the third place finish being taken by Bryan Dixon's late entrant Song One, who was jockeyed by Andrew Banks.
While the wet terrain and shifting ground didn't give Bell-Pitomac or Universal Thief too much trouble, the conditions on where certainly less than ideal for many of the field.
It's just one more factor Mulholland will be able to draw on as he continues training and developing the seven-year-old.
"He's only really been with me for about fourteen starts now, but he's been coming along really well, I've only given him those fourteen, but things are looking good."
Next up for Mulholland's successful charger will likely be a trip to Cowra to try for another goblet.
"He'll most probably be going to the Cowra cup, we'll go there and see how he goes," Mulholland said.
Despite the immediate future, Mulholland isn't putting any ducks in a row just yet, with plans for the rest of his stable remaining vague during the wind-down that comes for him during the start of the new year.
"I've got no real plans at the moment; we're in that patch where it's the start of the new year and due to the heat and everything else, it's usually the quieter time for me, there's a lot of horses out during January and February."
The Cowra Cup is currently expected to take place on Sunday, January 17 at the Cowra Showground and Race Track.
