The KerryAnn Morris-trained Its Mesmerise ($1.18) may have been the hot favourite for the Reliance Bank Pace (1730 metres) on Wednesday night, but the four-year-old bay mare was made to work for it.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Its Mesmerise did get away did get away to the best start but it was the Amanda Turnbull-trained and driven Convair Hustler, who was the only other starter with single figure odds at $4.60, that gave the favourite, driven by Robbie Morris, a challenge.
Turnbull drove her chance to the front and settle at the front, with Its Mesmerise locked inside behind Convair Hustler at the bell.
At the 600 metre mark, Convair Hustler was still in front, by a length.
And as the race came into the final turn, Pacman Hammer ($41) was in the mix for the front, threatening both the hot favourite and leader.
But as the pack lined up for the run home, Morris found space on the inside and drove a charging Its Mesmerise to the front, a place that the favourite wouldn't surrender.
The mare would finish a neck ahead of Turnbull's four-year-old bay gelding.
After the race, driver Robbie Morris said he was concerned when Its Mesmerise got locked in the inside behind the leader.
"I was a little bit worried because we were stuck where we didn't want to be," he said.
"But we ended up running down the leader to get the win,
"We just need to get her a better position to make the run easier next time."
Pacman Hammer claimed the final placing, while Grecian Holiday ($31), who failed to start correctly behind the mobile, put in a solid effort to finish fifth in a field of 11.
The win for Its Mesmerise was the New Zealand-bred horse's fourth career win from 21 starts.
The win did however bring an end to a 14-race spell without a win, after the mare enjoyed a promising start to her career by winning three wins from seven starts.
However, in that 14-race run without a win, Its Mesmerise did clock up 12 placings including five seconds and seven thirds.
The win wasn't the only one KerryAnn and Robbie Morris enjoyed on the night, with Santannas Rocket winning the Yearling Payments Due 28 June Pace (1730 metres).
The five-year-old black gelding went into the race as the second favourite, at $2.70, behind Bernie Hewitt's Lets Katchmeifucan ($2), but ended up winning by almost eight metres.
Amanda Turnbull also enjoyed success on the night, claiming three wins from Madame Annie in the Yirribee Stud Three Year Old Pace (1730 metres), the Hollys Miss Molly in the Club Memberships Due 30 June Pace (2260 metres) and Loyola Trios in the HRNSW Rewards Series Final (1730 metres).