Matthew Dale mare Calescent put a frustrating campaign behind her to land a dominant win in the Federal Handicap (1000m) at Thoroughbred Park on Wednesday.
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Apprentice Julia Presits expertly used her inside alley to hold out Smuggler's Bay in the early stages, and never relinquished her lead as she scorched to a near two-length win with a 33.04sec last 600m.
It was a six-length turnaround on Gratz Vella's runner up, The Unknown Factor, who notched a dominant win in a similar race on December 29 when Calescent was stuck out wide for the duration.
That run followed another wide draw when second-up from a spell, after she struck a bottomless track resuming at Gundagai in November and pulled up with a slow recovery.
Wednesday's triumph was the mare's seventh from 25 starts, and her strongest yet as she continues to progress through the grades.
The day belonged to Joseph and Jones Racing, though, with the stable leading in two of the first four winners - both ridden by Quayde Keogh.
Manderboss broke through for a maiden win at the fourth time of asking, after Room Number scored strongly in the Benchmark 60 Ned Neddrie Memorial Handicap (1600m).
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"She's quite tough, last start at Wagga she was sort of impeded for a run when we needed to be improving into the race," Keogh told Sky Thoroughbred Central after Room Number burst through to beat Call Me Artie.
"Back to home track, back to a mile she suits that distance, it was a really impressive run.
"She's a lovely horse, makes her own luck in the run. All she needed was a bit of daylight and she got that.
"She's showing signs of being that miler all over. She's going super, can't fault her this prep."
Meanwhile, the Ciaron Maher-David Eustace filly Coolangatta remains an odds-on favourite in Saturday's $2m Magic Millions Classic (1200m), but has drifted a fraction after drawing barrier 13 this week.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
