But a gun ride from David Pires that saw the Lonhro gelding enjoy a box seat run behind the leaders helped him record his fourth win from five starts on the synthetic track.

Spihro ran out the 1650 metres strongly to score by almost two lengths from Golden Kiss with Shiralee holding on for third after working to the lead mid-race.

”I didn't think he'd get the distance,” Trinder admitted. “He’d had five previous attempts and hadn't run a place for some very good jockeys including Noel Callow.

“But, on the positive side, he was fresh and there was no doubt about his fitness.

“I rode him myself when he did three laps of pace work on Saturday morning and this morning he swam seven laps of the pool.”

Pires said that Spihro gave him “a beautiful run.”

“He was always in the right spot and was suited by the solid tempo,” the jockey said.

“He hit a flat spot from the 600m to 500m but then got going again.”

Sheffield owner Barry Diprose bought Spihro for $5000 from well-known Sydney racing administrator Bob Charley.

Diprose had a good day as he also has a share in maiden winner Gasnier and Century Arrow who ran second.

TRAINER Barry Campbell had a double with Aljazmic and Gemini.

He said Aljazmic, an easy winner of the 1650m maiden, defied her breeding.

“Despite the fact that she's by Moshe and is bred to be a sprinter, she's always wanted more ground,” the trainer said.

“I didn't want to go straight from 1200m to 1650m but the only alternative was to go to Hobart and, because of the way she races, she wouldn't be suited on that track.

“She has no pace so she would end up midfield and having to make ground up the hill and you never know what part of the Elwick track you want to be on..

“She’s won well today and got to the line strongly but it probably wasn't a stellar field.”

Campbell said that Gemini, winner of the Class 1 Handicap, was “a moody little thing.”

“She’s got plenty of ability,” the trainer said.

“She’s not as good as her mother (Angel’s Jewel) but that's no disgrace.”

Angel's Jewel had 29 starts and earned 25 stake cheques, recording nine wins, seven seconds and nine thirds.

“She was the horse of the year at Moonee Valley one season,” the trainer said.

Angel’s Jewel is also the dam of good South Australian mare El Prado Girl who has won four races and $188,000.