WAGGA'S duel code trainer Trevor Sutherland broke a personal drought when Now Is The Time scored his seventh career win at Junee.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Sutherland is one of the Riverina's leading racing trainers, however it's his pacers that are leading the charge at the moment.
It's been almost two months since Sutherland won a thoroughbred race and in the meantime his smaller team of standardbreds continue to kick goals.
Sutherland put his down turn into his holiday interrupted his team's preparation and not being able to get his share of luck.
"Until I went on holidays I was flying and I'm never going on holidays again," Sutherland said.
"I've had some good runs, but not just having any luck."
Now Is The Time also broke a winning drought of his own, scoring his first win since November 2013.
However he hadn't been far away, finishing no worse than fourth in his last five races.
Sutherland labelled the win as just desserts for the war horse.
"He deserved the win, he's been running seconds and hung a bit the other night (at Wagga)," Sutherland said.
"He must of clipped himself and I couldn't drive him out when he run fourth, but I played around with his shoes a bit and did good.
"He loves this track and from the outside he had to do a bit of work."
Leading from barrier five, the son of Flight N Irish powered up the hill in the home straight to win the Merry Christmas Pace by 4.6 metres.
Sutherland had two horses in the race, with Willostwomates finishing fourth, but had to watch on as Adam Richardson took out the race.
The following race was a much closer affair.
Nothing could separate Normsgottamajor and Holy Camp Girl in the Riverina Mini Trotting Pace, with the pair dead heating for first.
Junee's meeting was the start of a busy period of harness racing in the region with Leeton to race three times in the next two weeks for the MIA Breeders Plate Carnival.
Leeton race on Friday and Saturday nights before the final of the MIA Breeders Plate on January 1.
Albury also races on December 31 with Temora to race on January 3.