Wagga trainer Tim Donnelly combined with experienced jockey Brett Fliedner for a long-priced win on Powerscourt at Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Thursday.
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Fliedner saddled up for just his sixth race ride this year and timed his run to perfection as Powerscourt ($31) powered to victory in the $30,000 Budget Showcase Class One Handicap (1000m).
Powerscourt had not raced since flashing home for third at Canberra last month and proved to be the forgotten horse as he charged to victory at big odds.
Donnelly was pleased to see the lightly-raced seven-year-old put it altogether.
"All of his runs has been good this time in," Donnelly told Sky Racing.
"He should have won at Narrandera, he was put over the fence here at Wagga and then made up a lot of ground on the Acton surface at Canberra."
It was Powerscourt's second win at start number 15.
It was a satisfying win for Donnelly, who enjoyed teaming up with his mate Fliedner, who has ridden a lot for him over the years.
"He rode it perfectly," he said.
"It's fantastic. He gives me that much help...he's the handyman of the stable. He's a fantastic bloke and he deserves this win."
Powerscourt had a wind operation at the end of last preparation and it has appeared to do the trick for the son of Kingmaker.
Donnelly got the gelding up over a mile early in his career but is keen to stick to sprinting trips now.
"The way he won today we might keep him to the shorter distances," he said.
"I thought he was a 2000 metre horse, he looked like one, he trained like one but he couldn't seem to run it."
The Scott Spackman-trained Tocatchacod ($3.60) worked home well for second, with Rozburg ($5.00) close up in third.
Meantime, Sydney visitor Handfast ($3.10) took out the feature race of the day, the Ian Reid Sprint (1200m) for Warwick Farm trainer Richard Litt and jockey Shaun Guymer.
Handfast charged home down the outside to grab Snippet Of Gold ($18) and Super Star Bob ($2.15) in the shadows of the post.
"He did well," Litt said.
"He's got a few tricks but I'm delighted that he's racing well and winning.
"It's fantastic for his owners."
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