Because not only did it go to a local horse, all three placings were filled by Benalla trainers.
Vin Nolan’s Bone Dry, strongly backed all day, although its short 5/2 starting price did surprise some expert commentators, ran the field off its feet to win the race.
But only after it pulled back the bolter, 9/1 shot Collector’s Item, trained by Wayne Nichols.
His horse had led from the jump to the last 200m when the gap in class between the two on the day was immediately obvious as Bone Dry got faster and Collector’s Item was left to battle on grimly and fend off the flying Fearless Falcon by half a neck to take second.
The third-placed horse is also trained in town, by Russell Osborne, and started at 10/1.
But its speed at the last minute showed in the right race it will easily break its maiden in the very near future.
When the starter let them go just after 1pm the 10-horse field — five had been scratched — came out well and jockey Daniel Stackhouse quickly settled on the pace behind the frontrunning grey.
That horse led them around the bend and stuck close to the running rail, stealing a few extra metres as they straightened and looked determined to play catch me if you can.
But at the 200m the favourite loomed alongside and when Stackhouse gave his mount a little touch up with the persuader she simply found another gear and left Collector’s Item — and the rest of the field — struggling well adrift.
It was being eased up well before it hit the line and still had two lengths on Collector’s Item, running first up from a spell, which hung on gamely to take second ahead of the fast finishing Fearless Falcon.
Trainer Nolan said the four-year-old mare, back up from her last 900m start, said 1100m was about the maximum range he expected his horse to have.
‘‘Today was the right race for the right horse and we will see what we can do with her after checking how she pulls up and how her work goes,’’ Nolan said.
Stackhouse said the mare jumped well, travelled nicely and he was pretty confident a long way out this would be the end of her maiden days.
‘‘She was quick enough at the furlong and when we went she put them away pretty easily,’’ Stackhouse said.
‘‘She’s a good horse and great to ride, she mostly does everything for herself.’’
Bone Dry has now had seven starts for its first win, plus a couple of thirds.
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