Lipstick Lil makes her mark at Orange's Towac Park for Dubbo trainer Brett Robb, jockey Ash Morgan

Trained by rising country talent Brett Robb and ridden by Welsh import Ashley Morgan, Lipstick Lil started on the second line of betting behind three-year-old Easy Rosie (Jeff Penza) in the Inland Digital Class 1 handicap (1280m) but tracked her down rounding the bend before the pair staged a stride-for-stride battle to the post.

Third about four metres back was the Rodney Northam Scone-trained Fanz, ridden by Brooke Stower.

Part-owner in Lipstick Lil, Robb's partner Maddison Wright, said the five-year-old had a tendency to race as she won yesterday.

"I think she races better like that and that's what Ashley said," Wright said. "She definitely likes something to chase because she's tough, she's a bit of a fighter.

"She can't be too far away but she's definitely not a leader, when she hits the front she looks around a bit, she thinks she's won by then so yes, she loves a bit of a chase."

Ms Wright also added Lipstick Lil has had her moments, with poor manners at the barrier getting her into strife.

Since transferring to Robb's Dubbo stable midyear however she's rarely missed a place on the Central Districts tracks, with a last-start second at Towac Park on December 14 prompting the couple to consider a Highway series start at a metropolitan track.

"A lot of horses can win their maiden then they've got to go on with it," Wright said. "Last start when she ran a really good second here we were like, we might have a good little horse here and she's gone on with it [today].

"She's eligible for [a Highway race] and we'd probably be mad not to take her on one but she is a little bit hard to handle.

"Taking her all the way to Sydney is a little bit of a gamble but I think she's worth it."

One blemish against Lipstick Lil is a stewards embargo for September 8 at Wellington for a poor performance but Wright said ear muffs seemed to be keeping the five year old on the straight and narrow.

Lipstick Lil started at $7.50 on course yesterday while Easy Rosie, trained at Goulburn by Andrew Warren was the punters pick at $3.30. Fanz jumped at $7.

Poor Sam was a late scratching.

Meanwhile, Orange-trained How's It Kev almost pulled off a boilover when running second to Warwick Farm trained Bobby Sox by a neck in the Cosmedic Collective maiden plate (1400m).

Trained by Alison Smith, How's It Kev (Rachael Murray) belied its $31 starting price to take part in a three-way tussle for honours eventually won by the Paul and Martha Cave filly Bobby Sox (Jeff Penza), which jumped at $10.

The pair were challenged from behind midway down the straight by favourite Bootscooter ($3.30) (Brooke Stower) which faded in the shadow of the post for third.

Smith scored a run of placings with Who's Tinny placing second in the John Davis Motors Benchmark 66 handicap (2100m) behind the Gregory Hickman-trained favourite Private Detective while Soumenlinna was third in the Australian National Field Days maiden handicap (1000m) behind Dean Mirfin's Arimathea.