On a day when Wagga's Darrell Burnet broke through for his first win as a trainer, the Wayne Carroll trained Fashion Tip dug deep in the feature, hanging on for her first win over 1400m to claim the $11,000 Adelong Cup.

Jockey Blaike McDougall ensured Fashion Tip ($6) led the field into the straight and then nursed her to the line, holding out the quickly-closing Imitation Game ($6), trained by Doug Gorrel, to win by a short half-head. Delivered ($4.60) was third for Wagga's Chris Heywood after a slow start.

"It was (a heart-stopping finish)," Carroll said.

"Blaike had to get going early. I've always been aware that her pet distance is 1200 to 1300 metres. She really struggles to get a 14 and as you can see, she only just gets a 14."

Fashion Tip raced only four days prior at Corowa, also over 1400m, but finished at the back of the field after missing the start.

"That was going to be her last start but she pulled up so well and was already nominated for this race and I knew she was good enough to win," Carroll said.

So, in her ninth run at the distance, the six-year-old saluted. It was her sixth win in 42 starts (along with 11 minor placings) for the owners, headed by Wagga's John Keough.

"She loves Gundagai and to bring her here and go out with a win for the owners, it's fantastic," Carroll said.

"She's such a good horse to deal with, a beautiful animal, and she's in-foal to Kermadec who's a nice stallion. No doubt one day up the road we'll have some progeny to train."

The win on Fashion Tip was the second leg of a treble for the in-form McDougall (who rode five winners on the second day of the Snake Gully Cup carnival at Gundagai in November).

The Albury jockey took Tough James ($7) to victory for trainer Garry Worsnop in the 1000m maiden earlier in the day and then closed out the meeting with a memorable win for Burnet's Idle Fancy ($6).

It was just the eighth runner in Burnet's training career. He'd had three seconds earlier this year with other runners, while Idle Fancy's previous start he came out of the gates without the hoop.

"It was good. Really, really good," said Burnet, who's main work is horse-breaking.

"I'm really grateful to Merv Norman for sending him to me and giving me the opportunity to train him as well."

It was the four-year-old's second career win in 20 starts.

"I wasn't nervous for myself. But the horse had a little mishap at Corowa last start and he's had embargoes placed on him in his career," Burnet said, before Brad Clark trialled the horse this week to earn back his barrier certificate.

"Once he was out of the gates, I relaxed a little bit and when he circled them on the dog-leg and sprinted away, it was a good feeling."

Almost as happy was Goulburn trainer Sarah Murray-Leslie after Danetree Belle claimed the Bob Vaughan Memorial (1000m) under Nisbet.

The flying start to the New Year continued a good finish to 2020, with Murray-Leslie now having six winners in her last 18 starts.

"I'm only a small trainer, only five in work at any time. And this time last year the whole season I only had three winners," Murray-Leslie said.

She praised the toughness of Danetree Belle ($4.40), who won comfortably, as well as the Gundagai track surface. The mare, owned by the trainer and her son, said they may go to Tumut next.