A year after being nosed out in the feature race, the eight-year-old wasn't going to be denied a second time around as he held off a fast-finishing Blazing Ash to win the $14,000 Tumbarumba Cup (1400m).

Canberra trainer Doug Gorrel thrilled to take out the race, especially alongside co-owners Gordon and Judy Kelso.

"It was a massive thrill," Gorrel said.

"I won a race with him at Canberra which was worth a lot more money, but this was the bigger thrill as this horse is owned by Gordon and Judy Kelso.

"Gordon is on the committee of the club, does a lot for the committee and loves racing at those bush meetings and it was a great result.

"He's a really good owner to have on board and you like winning for those guys who just love winning."

Southern Gamble hadn't won since May but after being placed in four starts since then including two seconds in his last three he just held on for his 10^th career victory.

Gorrel was pleased he finally broke through.

"He's been a great old horse for us," he said.

"I think that's his fifth cup and while he's no champion to us he is."

It was part of a big day for Gorrel who trained three of the six winners.

Imitation Game was another who broke through after a couple of promising efforts.

After finishing runner up in his last two starts he finally went one better to score his first win since October 2018.

"My daughter calls him the Tom Melbourne of country racing as he's had 10 seconds," Gorrel said.

"He ran a great race at Queanbeyan first up in a full TAB race and most people would have turned him around into another full TABer but I just wanted to give him a soft kill to see if that would help him.

"Again he's no champion but should be winning at the full TABers and now that he's had that win maybe he'll just grow in confidence."

Olifants also scored his first win in over a year.

All three were ridden by Tyler Schiller.

The apprentice jockey also tasted success with Nat Strap for Trevor Sutherland with the cup being his fourth victory of the day.

Gorrel was impressed by how Schiller rode the unusual Tumbarumba track on his first visit and believes he is a young rider going places.

"He's going to be a gun," he said.

"He rode (Southern Gamble) exactly how I asked him to.

"I booked him a few weeks ago as I knew I was taking four or five and possibly six, we ended up taking four and he was on the best ones, and I wanted him up there."

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