Latrobe trainer Brett Jaffray won his first race for 2-1/2 years when Island Bliss led all the way in the Lottah Mining Stakes at Burnie on Friday night.
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Island Bliss was resuming from a six-month spell and also broke a lengthy drought as she hadn't won since scoring at the same meeting last year.
The mare was originally trained by Todd Rattray before being sent to King Island where she won three races in the summer of 2018.
She returned home to win another two races for Rattray before switching to Jaffray after being leased by Ben, Karen and Kate Parker and the late Dave Petrie, the trainer's father-in-law.
Jaffray took a calculated gamble to attempt a first-up win without the benefit of a trial.
"She's a good-winded horse so I knew she was ready to go and it would just come down to the barrier draw," the trainer said.
"We got the good draw and she did the rest."
Jaffray said much of the credit belonged to Ben Parker "who has done most of the work with her."
The trainer's last winner was Blues Ace at Mowbray in April 2017.
NORTHDOWN trainer Geoff Smith won his first race with recent stable addition Rollon Jack in the Crusty's Bakery Stakes after a clever drive by Charlie Castles.
Castles weaved his way through the field to get Rollon Jack home at his seventh start for the Smith stable.
The former Victorian gelding has previously spent time with Ray Pullen and Marc and Kristy Butler.
He had been unplaced at his previous five starts but Smith said the eight-year-old "has been working well at home.
"I think he's suited on these tracks - he's not a Launceston horse, they go too fast for him up there," the trainer said.
Smith said he would attempt to win back-to-back races with Rollon Jack next weekend at Devonport and Carrick.
LATROBE trainer Melissa Maine won the Liza Storm with three-year-old debutante Nancys Baby driven by her partner Gareth Rattray.
Maine had Nancys Baby almost ready to race as a two-year-old but, after trialling well, she caught a virus.