It was a comfortable win in the end for Bathurst trained Flying By ($3.80) in the Harpil Group Benchmark 55 Handicap (1300 metres) at the Dubbo Turf Club meeting on Tuesday at Tyers Park.
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The seven year-old mare, trained by Peter Stanley, cruised to a two and a half length win, staying true to her rank as favourite.
Flying By had been pursued by Butterfly Sky ($17) for a good portion of the race, before dropping away to third in the home stretch.
Joint-favourite with Flying By, Spanish Fly ($3.80), dropped away and finished in a disappointing last place, with second placed Spirited Addition ($10) finishing strong.
Mr Stanley said the he knew if the mare was paced well, she would do well.
“She [Flying By] jumped out with a lot of enthusiasm,” Stanley said.
“It was a lot of hard work for her to get out to a good lead like that.
“She won with a bit of authority in the end.”
Mr Stanley was full of praise for jockey Kody Nestor, who rode the winning mare.
“He had a jam of a ride,” Stanley.
“He put her in her place, dictated the pack and bossed it home on the corner.”
The track was rated as a heavy 10, but Mr Stanley thought it was a bit better than that, but was happy to break the chain of near misses for the mare.
Flying By had raced at Bathurst, Goulburn and Gosford in her past three starts, finishing third on all occasions.
“She’s been knocking on the door recently,” Stanley said.
“She’s been a really good money spinner with the owners.”
The day was also good for Mr Stanley’s son, who had a strong performance in the main race.
Justin Stanley, born in Bathurst but now training in Dubbo, trained second placed Something Borrowed ($6.50) in the Dubbo City Toyota Gold Cup (1600 m) feature race behind ranked outsider Any Blinkin’ Day ($12).
“It was a really good run, just a length behind the winner,” Mr Stanley said.
“It’s not a bad little horse he’s [Justin’s] got there.”
It was a race that started with the swarm of horses looking to break ahead and after the 400 metre mark, Any Blinkin’ Day began to assert his dominance.
Favourite Pera Pera ($3.80) challenged Any Blinkin’ Day, until a disappointing final 500 m saw the favourite finish last.
Something Borrowed’s strong finish home on the outside, gave the stallion second place, in a tight battled for third with Playing Game ($4).
Mr Stanley also entered Destiny’s Joker ($21) in the Klou Fashions on the Field Maiden Plate (1000 m) race, with the first-time starter finishing sixth, a not to disappointing result.