Joseph Ible returns home to Wagga and enjoys his first carnival win with Loving Cilla

Ible, who was born in Wagga, enjoyed his first Gold Cup carnival winner when Loving Cilla ($3.70) took out the Inglis Rural Property Benchmark 58 Handicap (1300m).

The lightly-raced four-year-old mare was having her first run back from a spell but the 1300m proved no issue as she raced away to score by a length.

Rachel King settled the mare back in the field but once she balanced up in the straight, she was always going to get there, downing Sly Song ($4.80) and Delivered ($14).

A rising star in the training ranks, Ible was thrilled to land a winner at the Wagga Gold Cup carnival.

"It's unreal," Ible said.

"I was born here. I came back here and studied university at Charles Sturt Uni. Wagga's home and this is my first winner at the carnival so it's pretty awesome."

Loving Cilla, a four-year-old mare by Reliable Man, had already shown great promise in her first campaign.

She ran third at Canberra on debut, making up good ground, then won her maiden at Nowra. Ible then took her to a Highway at Randwick, where she was beaten just four lengths by Another One.

Ible was happy to see her return in such impressive fashion.

"That was very good," Ible said.

"First up, probably a little bit underdone coming into it so it was just natural ability that carried her over the line."

Ible explained that the mare is only going to get better in time and over more ground.

"I think she's a horse that's going to get a mile, 2000 metres," he said.

"I wasn't worried about the 1300 but it was a great way to come back. She's got a big future."

One potential target for Loving Cilla could be next year's $200,000 Wagga Gold Cup (2000m).

Another Highway Handicap is the next step but Ible has a few bigger races in the back of his mind.

"I don't know. I think we'll concentrate on Highways for now and then we'll see what happens," he said.

"I'd love to see her back here in 12 months time for a bigger one."

The win brought up Rachel King's first win for the Wagga Gold Cup carnival. She had been knocking on the door with three minor placings in the lead-up to the breakthrough success.

Delivered's third placing continued a good carnival for Wagga trainer Chris Heywood without having struck a major blow.

Heywood had Thuwaany run second in the Queen of the South and also had Perfect Sun run a close second in a maiden on Wagga Town Plate day.

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