Less than three weeks since Anderson passed, her team were back at the track as her husband Rob enjoyed success with his first starter as a trainer.

Emotions overflowed as family friend and Wagga jockey Brad Clark lifted Chloe’s Puppet ($41.00) over the line for a major upset in the Jam Media Maiden Plate (1200m).

An emotional Clark embraced Anderson as soon he dismounted from the mare.

Named after Tricia and Rob’s daughter Chloe, Chloe’s Puppet rallied strongly to score by a short head in a photo finish.

“I didn’t expect this,” Rob said.

“At the 200 I thought she was going to run fifth but by the last stride I was 90 per cent sure she won it.

“It’s really good. Everyone in the family has been fantastic. Racing NSW as well.”

Tricia trained in the Southern District for many years right up until Christmas Eve when she lost her brave battle with cancer.

Clark has ridden for Tricia for as long as he can remember and he described getting Chloe’s Puppet over the line as one of his most satisfying victories.

“For sure, it means the world to me just to get a winner for Robbie after everything he’s been through,” Clark said.

“It will do him good. The owners are happy and Chloe was happy too.

“I hope that gives him a good boost.”

Clark wore Rob’s late father Stuart’s colours to victory on Chloe’s Puppet and the mare is part-owned by Rob’s mother Cherie.

Rob and Tricia raced the mother, Marionette.

Both trainer and jockey agreed that there must have been some divine intervention on Monday as neither gave the four-year-old mare much hope of a win.

“If she only beat a couple of horses home I would not have been concerned,” Anderson said.

“She worked like a pony last week. I was almost not going to bring her here, her work was that ordinary.

“Her best run was a third here and she does like the bigger tracks.

“She’s been in a long time and will go for a spell now.”

Rob rode close to 300 winners as an amateur. He has now taken over Tricia’s training duties and will give that a go for 12 months before making a permanent decision.

“I’m just going to give it 12 months and see where things are at,” Anderson said.

“I’ve never had anything to do with the bookwork side of things before.”

Stable star, To A Degree, is spelling and Anderson will train him from the paddock at the farm as much as possible upon his return.

Anderson and Clark also combined on Bonosa later, who battled on for seventh.