Maitland trainer Mitch Chapple is looking to the Breeders Challenge Eastern Region series at Newcastle with confidence after La Cabeza Gem and Roclea Star warmed up with wins at the track on Friday night.
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Chapple's father, Guy, drove the three-year-olds to front-running victories.
Roclea Star went a career-best 1:54:6 mile and kicked late to win by a half-head over Advanced Warfare.
The gelding was last in his Breeders Challenge heat at Newcastle then seventh at the track two weeks ago.
"He didn't get much luck in the Breeders Challenge heat so we went back to the drawing board and drove him for luck two weeks ago and didn't get much of it," Mitch said.
"But he hit the line good. It was a pretty weak race on Friday so we thought we'd test our arm and the old boy got him over the line."
La Cabeza Gem blitzed her rivals by 13.6m over the 2030m course despite being challenged strongly for the lead early.
"She's a group 1 filly and they wanted to try and make her do too much work, but in the end she just made a mess of them," Mitch said.
The regional Breeders Challenge series, featuring $30,000 finals, will be held over the next three Friday nights at Newcastle.
Craig Kerry
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
