Five-year-old bay gelding Prettylittlefellow ($5) led for 1398 metres of the 1400 metre Damien Murphy Memorial Class 3 Handicap but couldn’t hold off the rampaging favourite King Derota ($2.40) in the dying stages of the race.

King Derota stormed home in the first race on the program at Towac Park in 1.24.63, stealing a fourth consecutive win from under Prettylittlefellow’s nose – the latter having won at Warren, Dubbo and Gilgandra in its last three starts.

Having drawn the inside barrier, Michael Travers rode an all-but-perfect race aboard King Derota, the top weight, settling into third on the rails after all six runners jumped perfectly.

With Prettylittlefellow controlling the race past the 800, 600 and 400 metre marks, Travers made his move with just 200 to go, getting the split and moving up on the leader quickly.

With the favourite primed to take the lead 100 out, jockey Anthony Cavallo gave Prettylittlefellow a kick up the straight, going within inches of holding off Travers and King Derota.

“It felt like he was going to win comfortably by a length or so, but the leader had a nice soft run and kicked on really strong, and made us work really hard for the win,” Travers said.

“We got away better than last start, bombed it last start, and hopped into the perfect position behind the leaders. He just travelled well throughout, it was just a matter of getting out at the top of the straight.

“He’s a tough horse though, and knows how to get past the winner’s post.”

Stanley’s rising star now boasts four wins and six placings in his 12 career starts and looks poised for more success; his current campaign is only two races old after four months off and he has a second and now a win.

Later in the day, Stanley saddled up five-year-old mare City Boots, who was resuming herself after 17 weeks in the paddock, in the Benchmark 60 Handicap (1000m).

She started as a $7 chance behind $5 favourite Judo, going into the race with two wins from her eight previous outings and once more Travers was in the saddle.

Another Bathurst entry in Paul Theobald’s Dunderry ($10) led for most of the race on the rail but in the last furlong City Boots came at him hard and, with a big burst, eased past the leader.

Judo flew home down the extreme outside late in the piece but didn’t have the speed to catch City Boots, who completed a big day for Stanley and his camp.

Bathurst trainer Don Ryan filled third spot with Just Pay Up ($10).

There was another minor success for the Bathurst contingent with Theobald’s All Sixes ($5) beaten a length in the 1280m Benchmark 60 Handicap by Normandy Lad ($4.60).