The 11-year-old was having his fifth start for Kelly, after being bought out of a claimer, when he stormed home to take the opening race of the North West season at fixed-odds of $81.

"It's the first time he's gone half decent since I've had him," Kelly said.

"I've been training my horses out of stables at Brighton but it wasn't a good environment for them with no yards.

"So I moved them out to my farm. I still take them to Brighton to work them but they don't sleep there anyone."

Kelly said the six horses he has in work all seemed to appreciate the switch, including stable star Blackbird Power who was "a changed horse within three days."

"I didn't expect Jeans Mattjesty to win because he hasn't been right until today - in fact, he's been woeful; he was a troubled horse," the trainer said.

"So I came here with no expectations but he felt super in the warm-up and ran accordingly."

Kelly said he thought the pace was too hot during the race so he was content to bide his time on Jeans Mattjesty and wait for a late run.

He didn't put the gelding under any pressure until leaving the back straight and, despite having to come four wide, the rank outsider of the field proved too good for Remember Joe and Smilin Geoff.

Kelly had been more confident of winning with his only other runner at the meeting, Murry, but the gelding had to work hard to find the death and couldn't go on.

He battled on well under the circumstances to finish midfield behind runaway winner Jaccka Len trained by Deborah Williams.

Ben Yole finished the meeting with a double with other races going to Andrew Thornton and Kent Rattray.