Damien Lane savours any chance to race back at home in Coonamble but Sunday was a little sweeter as he uncovered a potential Wellington Boot contender.
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Tidal Impact took out the opening event on Sunday, the Boot Prelude Two-Year-Old Prelude (1100m), at a wet Coonamble Jockey Club.
The debut victory was simply dominant as Darryl McLellan piloted Tidal Impact to a nine-and-a-half length win and, providing she recovers from from the performance, it makes her a leading contender for the $200,000 Wellington Boot on March 28.
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Tidal Impact jumped a $3.40 favourite after a strong trial win on a heavy Gosford track last month and it was that performance that had Lane feeling confident about his chances on Sunday, where the track was rated a Heavy 8.
"She was pretty impressive today," Lane told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
"I've got another filly heading to the Boot, Sonic Star, and she ran second, first start, at Randwick during the week and I don't think there's a lot between the two.
"She's just a no-fuss type of filly. She came out here yesterday (Saturday) and did everything we asked of her and if she pulls up alright then the Boot is the next step.
"I think she's a filly with a bit of a future."
The race was in doubt at one point as jockeys held a vote whether to start the meeting or not given the steady rain which had fallen all morning at Coonamble.
McLellan confirmed some jockeys didn't want to go ahead, but once it did he and Tidal Impact got away well from gate one.
They sat towards the front with Carry On Cathy ($26), Antarctic Pride ($5), and Sollazando ($12) but when McLellan asked his filly to go they soon moved clear.
The win was an utterly dominant one while The Storm In Me ($4.60, Mikayla Weir) finished strongly for second and $151 outsider Look At Yah (Ashleigh Stanley) was third.
"She'll improve on that and she loves the wet," McLellan said post-race, before touching on the pre-race vote between jockeys.
"A lot didn't want to ride. The way the insurances are these days we haven't got that much protection so it wasn't us being weak, just looking after our lives."
The second race on the card, the Nutrien Ag Solutions Three-Year-Old and Up Showcase Country Maiden Plate (1100m), also went ahead and was won by the Brett Robb-trained Dalavin ($2.90 favourite, Clayton Gallagher).