In his 20^th race start, the Rod McDonald-trained dog brought up his first win.

After being placed in 11 of his first 19 starts, Light 'Em Sparky always showed he had plenty of potential and delivered on it at Wagga on Friday.

The Cowra trainer was relieved.

"He's finally broke through," McDonald said.

"He's been knocking on the door but I didn't think he was ever going to kick the door down.

"He's always shown he's had ability and probably should have won two or three of those races but his youth and stupidness cost him them.

"Hopefully he can learn from it."

Light 'Em Sparky ($5) took advantage of some early fortune from a wide box to find the front as Extreme Unity ($4.20) drifted off the track.

He then held him at bay to take out the Simaroo Lodge Maiden (400m) by almost a length.

"He jumped well, missed all the interference, used his brain and went along the rail to go good," McDonald said.

Light 'Em Sparky has done most of his racing over the short trip but was third last time out over the 400 metres before his breakthrough.

McDonald believes the extra distance helped.

"I stepped him up hoping that would be the case," he said.

"The funny thing is his mother couldn't run any further than 300 and he looks like he wants to run further.

"Hopefully the further he goes the better."

Meanwhile David Jones extended his impressive strike rate as Paua Of Janie got her career off to the perfect start in the Good Luck Tiggerlong Tonk Maiden (320m).

Jones has had eight starters in the past four years, but three of them have been winners, and another two placed.

Paua Of Janie led all the way to clock a slick 18.12 seconds.

Tiggerlong Tonk finished fourth in the group one Melbourne Cup at Sandown.

After copping interference, the Wagga bred and owned Tiggerlong Tonk finished off well as Hard Style Rico set a new track record with a dominant win in one of Australia's biggest races.

READ MORE