THE good results keep coming for Bathurst trainer Peter Stanley, his latest effort a winning double on his home track at last Friday’s Tyers Park meeting.

King Derota continued his impressive start to the new season to win as the top weight in the Class 2 Handicap (1,400 metres), before Hollywood Nell edged home for her second career victory in the Class 1 and Maiden Plate (1,800m).

Stanley was happy to see both runners carry the form from their previous starts onto their home track.

“I thought that Hollywood Nell would go alright. She was unlucky the start before at Mudgee where she was squeezed out of a run. King Derota backed up really well from Mudgee and for him to beat that [David] Vandyke horse [Lofiel] was a big effort,” he said.

King Derota ($4) bagged his second win of the season by a nose over a fast finishing favourite in Lofiel ($2.30). That’s Freedom ($11) wasn’t far away in third, just half a length further back.

Covenant and That’s Freedom got to the front of the field out of the barriers, but Michael Travers on board King Derota made an early call to race to the front.

King Derota carried a one length lead on That’s Freedom going into the home straight and along with Lofiel, the trio made it a race of three in the final 200m.

Lofiel finished the fastest, but Stanley’s gelding held on to take a narrow win, the third of his career.

Stanley said the gelding he bought for just $400 continues to be full of surprises.

“I’ve got a huge opinion of him as a bush horse, but I’m thinking of taking him into town. That nine cheques from nine starts and that’s something you don’t see too often. A horse like that you’d maybe hope for one or two from that many starts, but he’s a tough little guy. I’m over moon with how he’s going,” he said.

“He’s back out a couple of days later jumping around the field like he hasn’t even raced.

“He’s that kind of horse that anyone would be happy to have around in the sheds.”

Hollywood Nell ($6.50) got home by the same margin in her event as she beat home Maldicente ($8), with Chantilly Flyer ($5) filling the placings a length and a half behind.

Stanley’s mare took up the running going past the post for the first time, but Maldicente was moved to the front with We’re All Good shuffling Hollywood Nell back to third.

Bahmino rushed up on the final turn to take the lead, but couldn’t go on with it as Maldicente and Hollywood Nell challenged for the win.

In the end it was the Stanley runner who got home along the pegs. 

“She put in a tough, gutsy performance, especially with it being her first time at the 1,800. She gave herself much more room to gallop this start,” he said.

“She led from the outset to the 1,300 and then settled back in third and from there she just looked like she was cruising. She was up to it.”