Taking all the shortcuts has enabled Rock On Zariz to take out the Stan Sadleir Stakes on Friday.
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Given a peach of a ride by Carly Frater-Hill, Rock On Zariz booked her place in the Snake Gully Cup with the victory.
Well back in the field, the five-year-old mare rocketed down the fence to defeat $101 chance Not Too Sure by a head.
Co-trainer Paul Jones was thrilled with the efforts of both Frater-Hill and Rock on Zariz.
“It was a great ride,” Jones said.
“And it was great to get her back running how she has been working.
“She had no luck in the last three runs but has shown at home that she has still got it.
“I was just so happy to get her back to where she can be – competitive in this sort of grade.”
Jones thought she had been racing without any luck in harder company, but fortune was certainly on her side at Murrumbidgee Turf Club as she plotted an unlikely path to victory.
Chris Heywood’s grey split the two Barbara Joesph and Jones runners.
The mother and son combination also finished third with Mercurial Lad ($3.80 favourite).
Jones was impressed with his tough effort after leading up the field.
“It was a great run,” he said.
“We got taken on virtually from the get go all the way up until the corner.
“He come up there for about 200 metres then kicked strongly for third.
“I am really happy with both horses.”
Both will now head to the Snake Gully Cup on November 17.
It was always the plan of the stable to target both races.
While Rock On Zariz is exempt from the ballot, Jones expects Mercurial Lad will get into the race as well.
He expects it will suit them both.
“She’s definitely in now and he will get a point or two to be around a 72 (rating) and sneak into the bottom of the field and the bottom of the weights,” Jones said.
“That will be good for him too.
“They’ve been waiting three weeks since the Highway race, have been working really happy at home and I couldn’t be happier with both horses heading in (to Gundagai).
“They will both come in with light weights.”
Honours were split across the eight-race card with eight individual trainers and jockeys all tasting success.
Heywood and fellow Wagga trainer Scott Spackman got in on the action.
Heywood took out the opening race with Landmine while Spackman won the last with O’So Hazy.
The $40,000 maiden went to Goulburn trainer Danny Williams with Highway Sixtysixty.
Nick Heywood was at the helm for the impressive three-length win.
