Handle the Truth was one of five local winners at Thoroughbred Park on Sunday, with the four-year-old securing the open sprint (1000 metres) from a 14-week spell.

Jockey Nash Rawiller surged the gelding ahead on the final stretch narrowly beat Joseph Pride's Royal Witness by a short head, securing more points on the road to Eagle Farm.

"Hopefully his grand final will be in the Stradbroke Handicap, but we need more benchmark points to get in it," Dryden said.

"We'll get another five for the sprint, so if we win one more race we'll be a chance to get a start."

Handle the Truth wasn't Dryden's only winner on Black Opal Day, with the veteran trainer securing a double in the class 1 handicap (1000 metres).

Shores of Avalon beat stablemate Eltham Palace by a short neck to claim the $30,000 race, securing her second win this preparation.

"It's always good to win a race on Black Opal Day, and it's good to have finished the day like that," Dryden said.

"I thought they could race first and second but I thought it would be the other way around. I fancy Eltham Palace more than the other horse.

"All the horses are going out there and trying their very best, she stuck her head out and wouldn't give in."

Dryden nominated four horses for the Riharna Thomson Memorial race, hoping to win the maiden handicap (1200 metres) in the late track worker's honour.

But he was edged out by local stable Joseph and Jones Racing, with Tom Sherry riding Zelago to victory and securing the bracelet.

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The three-year-old was a second emergency for the Federal, replacing scratched stablemate Fire Star Miss.

"I really wanted to win that race, it's a memorial race and I know Keith Dryden had four in there trying to beat us," Joseph said.

"He's been getting trained for this race for a long time so I thought he'd run well.

"It was a second emergency, got in there and won. It was just fantastic."

Matthew Dale rounded out the local winners with a narrow victory in race one, with Terra Reign edging out Rob Potter's Polylexia to claim the benchmark 65 (1200 metres).

Nick Olive and Todd Smart will contest the $250,000 Canberra Cup on Monday, while Joe Cleary is a chance in the Canberra Guineas with Girls Are Ready.