Stuck three back the pegs from his inside of the second row draw, Ultimate Hughey worked his way into clear air and was good enough to finish off the job.

Reinsman Tom Gilligan thought he was in plenty of trouble down the back straight, but was thrilled with how things panned out.

"I was over the moon," Gilligan said. "I thought we were in a world of pain down the back straight with all those horses to our outside and thought I might not get a run but it just all opened up.

"It was the luck of the draw as I was in the right place at the right time."

Ultimate Hughey made it six wins and another further nine placings from 20 career starts.

He finished seventh last time out, but Gilligan thought chasing home some classy horses in the Riverina Championships heat helped.

"We were rapt so I was a bit surprised he opened up $17," he said. "I think the last run chasing those better horses helps them as it sharpens them up."

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Gilligan also admitted the win took off some of the pressure with partner Brooke McPherson usually doing the steering on Ultimate Hughey.

"I needed to get a win on him as Brooke keeps telling me he doesn't go for me," Gilligan said.

"I wanted to prove a point."

However the win has upset some plans for the Henty couple.

They were headed to the group one Regional Championships next month, but the win now has the four-year-old ineligible.

However the stable will still be represented by Wild Imagination who never got a clear run but still managed to finish fifth after being crossed early from barrier one.

Meanwhile Always Thunder set a new track record as he took out the Menangle Country Series heat.

After an early battle for the lead, Bathurst trainer-driver Bernie Hewitt was able to dictate terms out in front.

The four-year-old was untroubled in the run to line, going on to down Killara Eagle by 6.7 metres.

Both qualified for the final later this month.

The mile rate of 1:56.5 sliced two one hundredths off the previous best for the 1760 metres.

It now means the track records for both distances, the 1760m and the 2210m, are now the same.

The win added to a consistent run for the Always Thunder this season.

After getting it all wrong on debut last year, he's just to miss a placing in four starts this time around including a win at Bathurst two starts back.

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