Talented filly Rockarosa got her time with Keith Dryden off to the best possible start with a feature victory on Wagga Gold Cup day.
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Jockey Jay Ford got everything out of the three-year-old as she made the most of inside runs to take out a thrilling three-way finish to the $67,500 Byrnes Trailers Queen of the South F&M Benchmark 66 Handicap (1400m).
Rockarosa ($7.50) was having her first start for the Dryden stable after recently crossing over from the Chris Waller camp. She came from well back and made the most of inside runs to down Gai Waterhouse's top weight Got Your Six ($6.00) and Gotta Want It ($10).
New Wagga trainer Maddie Collins was denied her maiden victory by a bob of the head in a photo finish, with Gotta Want It running a super race for her and her partner, apprentice jockey Josh Richards.
Rockarosa only arrived at Dryden's stables three weeks ago and he was more than happy to enjoy an immediate result for long-time clients, Laurel Oak Bloodstock.
"She came to me straight after her run at Wyong. I've been training for Laurel Oak for 36 years, they have horses with lots of trainers, but when they're not city class I get them. I get the hand-me-downs," Dryden laughed.
"She's a really nice filly. I thought she did a good job today, she came on the wrong part of the track, carrying 61 kilograms plus the vest. It was a good job I thought."
It was a chance for Dryden to enjoy a win with Ford, his old apprentice.
"I said to Jay, there's not much you can do, just go back and come as far as you can down the outside. So he came right up along the inside," he said.
"I said to him afterwards. It's good to see you still listen to instructions. He said you know I'm deaf."
Dryden said he would eventually look towards a Highway Handicap with Rockarosa.
"I'll just wait and see. That's only her second win so I suppose I might give her a couple of more runs in the bush and once's she's had three runs for me, I might look at a nice Highway Handicap for her," he said.
"It's pretty hard to improve them when they come from Chris Waller. You've just got to try and place them as best as you can."
Meantime, hardly a Wagga carnival goes by without a win to Goulburn trainer Danny Williams and he ensured he left his mark on Gold Cup day again on Friday.
The Williams-trained Leg Work ($4.20) unleashed a devastating sprint down the outside to take out the Iron Jack Benchmark 58 Showcase Handicap (1300m) by three and a half lengths.
It made it back-to-back Wagga wins for Leg Work, who now has two wins from five starts. Port Triano ($26) and Damagic ($31) ran second and third.
Williams then made it a winning double with Shelby Sixtysix's ($3.20) win in the last race, the Port Of Melbourne Class One Showcase Handicap (1200m).
