It was the third consecutive win of the day for Panella in the driver’s seat, and also a back-to-back for trainer Shane Tritton, when Fearless Leader ($4) put in a huge finish down the outside of the track to run down the home city hope Itdontmatter-tome ($7.60, 7.2m behind) while Ardle McCardle ($23.20, 15.1m) made it two Turnbull-trained runners in the top three.

In one of the classiest fields Bathurst has hosted for some time, Tritton’s six-year-old gelding and recent listed quality race winner found his form once more in his second start back from a spell.

There was a strong charge for the lead, with as many as five horses all fighting for control of the race heading into the first turn, but it was Ashlee Siejka’s Atom Of Courage who won the fight.

Shelbyville and Ardle McCardle went for a look closer towards the inside but had to settle behind the leader, while favourite Freyberg ($2) was caught wide out of gate eight.

Siejka was keen to keep the pace up over the longer race distance and put in a sharp lead time of 45.2 seconds in her bid to put the pressure on the field.

The field received the bell with Atom Of Courage still in front. Lochinver sat on the leader’s outside with both Freyberg and Itdontmattertome three wide and trying to work their way forward.

Ardle McCardle sat poised behind the leader as the field went around the back of the track, while Itdontmattertome continued his charge forward, trailed by Fearless Leader.

Into the home straight it was evident that the workload in front had caught up to Atom Of Courage, who started to fade.

Itdontmattertome briefly went to the front, but Panella raced away on Fearless Leader to record the gelding’s 14th win from his 47th start.

The mile rate of 1:56.2 was a new track record over the newly-introduced distance of 2,260m, lowering substantially the mark of 1:59.1 set earlier in the meeting.

“It’s a long trip, but it always pays off when you get a couple of winners,” Panella said. 

“We had a bit of a hiccup with a hole in the middle of the track but that’s a work in progress and hopefully everything will pan out the right way.”

Trainer Tritton believed the new 1,064m Bathurst track fitted his Bettors Delight out of Party Baby gelding perfectly.

“Happy to come today. He’s a nice little horse who’s on his way up and set for some big races,” he said.

“It’s good to bring him out here. He gets a bit lost at Menangle where it’s a bit too big for him, so he’s happier around this sized track and he showed that today.

“This makes the trip worthwhile. It’s been a great day with a great crowd.”