Local trainer Melissa Harrison with her four-year-old mare Sharing Is Caring, relegated major metropolitan stables to the minor placings in the first leg of the TAB Daily Double on Monday at Orange.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Bjorn Baker, and Annabel Neasham respectively, Flying Chevrolet ($3.40 to $2.60 favourite), Way To Divine ($3.50) and Up And Comer ($4.40), as the only runners at single figure odds in the 12-horse field, were expected to dominate the 1400 metres Kennards Hire Maiden Plate.
Ridden an outstanding race by Dubbo jockey Ken Dunbar, Sharing Is Caring ($10 to $15) settled midfield on the rails before finishing gamely under strong riding to overhaul the leader Flying Chevrolet (Gavin Ryan) in the last stride and win by a short head with Way To Divine (Robbie Downey) a length away third and Up And Comer (Clayton Gallagher) a close fourth.
Bred in Tasmania, Sharing Is Caring had two unplaced starts in Victoria and now part owned by Grenfell Picnic Race Club president Danny Kotel has recorded a win and three placings from five starts under the care of Melissa Harrison at Orange.
Tough stayer Will To Excel with Hawkesbury trainer James Ponsonby has covered plenty of territory over recent months. Since mid-October the eight-year-old gelding has finished third at Wagga Wagga on two occasions, over 2500 metres and 3200 metres, fifth at Moonee Valley over 3850 metres and fourth at Warrnambool over 4065 metres before winning over 2100 metres at Orange.
Mathew Cahill took advantage of the cutaway rail turning for home at Orange and Will To Excel ($2.15 favourite) surged along the inside from well back to score by almost three lengths from Our City (Robbie Downey, $2.50) and Kyanite (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $6).
