LAST month he shocked punters when notching up his maiden win as a rank $151 outsider and on Wednesday night at the Bathurst Paceway, Tony Hagney's Watched From Above sprung yet another upset.
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Sired by former Bathurst Gold Crown winner Lombo Pocket Watch, last month Watched From Above swooped down the sprint lane to win a Harness Racing NSW Rewards Series Heat on his home track.
It was a win few saw coming for the Bathurst trained four-year-old given his five prior starts and six trial runs saw him finish well off the pace. He had over-raced, hung out, raced roughly, been checked and broke.
"He hasn't worked out yet what he's doing, he hasn't worked out he's a race horse and not a big kid," Hagney said. "The race before he won at $151 ... he pulled like a steam train, I've never seen Trent [Rue, driver] lean back so far."
His history of trouble meant that he was still not really fancied by punters in the Harness Racing NSW Rewards Series Final (1,730 metres) on Wednesday.
He was fifth in the line of betting at $11, but once more Watched From Above defied his odds and bettered his rivals. He nudged out $2.90 favourite Feeling Hall Good by a neck.
"He went good again. He has still got a lot to learn, Trent says he still doesn't really know what he's doing, but when he's on he's done well," Hagney said.
"Trent's done a fantastic job with him ... it was a really nice race to win, he gets a couple of bonuses for it too. Hopefully he can go on and win a few more.
"But you never know, it's a day-to-day prospect."
Earlier in the evening it was smiles and thumbs up from Aaron Williams after he steered Peter Bullock's lightly raced five-year-old Charolais Shannon to victory in the TAB Odds and Evens Pace (2,260m).
From barrier five Charolais Shannon ($8) showed good gate speed to take the lead, but after he handed up front spot to Kalypso King ($4.60) down the back for the first time, the tempo dropped.
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Kalypso King's driver Michael Munro was able to pinch quarters of 31.8 and 32.2 seconds to set the scene for a sprint finish.
The race caller declared "This leader is getting an absolute picnic on top", but it was a tactic which suited Williams.
"It suited us really good because he's got a good turn of foot. When the pace lifted down the back there it sort of took the sting out of a few of the others," he said.
The third sectional was covered in 27.7, but Charolais Shannon stuck on Kalypso King's back. At the top of the home straight, Williams guided his runner into the sprint lane.
With just over 100m to go Charolais Shannon hit the front, going on to win by a head. It was the second victory of his nine-start career.
