After 17 unplaced runs, the Marion Dalco-trained gelding finished strongly to win the Class 1 Plate.

It was a reward for perseverance, as the one-time member of the powerful David Hayes stable – boasting a pedigree that includes names such as Redoute’s Choice – has been a frustrating horse.

He had only one barrier trial for the Hayes stable before being `sacked’ and sent to an Inglis sale in March 2016.

Dalco’s husband Larry bought him for just $15,000.

One of his partners in the horse, Khaled Alobeidli, is a United Arab Emirates student at the Australian Maritime College in Launceston and was looking to buy a show jumper.

“I suppose the theory was that if the horse couldn’t run that’s where he’d end up,” Marion Dalco said.

“Saalim was very immature when we got him and he possibly had something wrong with him but we couldn’t find it.”

After 13 starts without success, the decision was made to retire the Fastnet Rock gelding.

“He stayed on the farm and did a bit of show jumping and other things then when Khaled had to go home for three months at Christmas, Larry suggested we put him back into work,” Dalco explained.

“The change (of lifestyle) had obviously done him good because he was a different horse when he returned.

“He hasn’t really run a bad race since he’s been back and I think going on his run on Sunday he can win again.”

The only disappointment for Dalco was that Khaled, a family friend for about five years, missed seeing the race.

“He went home again on Sunday morning – but he will be back,” the trainer said.

French reinsman Germain Boisrame won his first race in Tasmania when he scored on Blisstar in Hobart on Friday night.

The 21-year-old has been working for Longford trainer Todd Rattray for about three months and had his first local drive in early May.

However it was Brighton trainer Dylan Ford who supplied Boisrame with his first win, utilising the driver’s claim to get Blisstar a 10m lift in handicap.

Boisrame has driven five winners in France.

Longford jockey Jason Maskiell has made a flying start to an extended stint in the Northern Territory.

Maskiell won his first race on Saturday on Rakitiki for Victorian trainers Paul and Tracey Templeton.

After missing three Tasmanian meetings due to illness, Maskiell left for Darwin last week and will be away for two months.

He will ride primarily for trainers Neil Dyer and Michael Hickmont.