Don't ever doubt the ability of Gwenda Markwell to get the best out of a horse.Having endured a quiet couple of months by her lofty standards, Markwell's ability as a supreme horsewoman has again come to the fore.She still shares top billing on the Illawarra Turf Club's champion trainer standings, tied with Darley's Peter Snowden. The pair is two points ahead of top Sydney trainer Chris Waller.But more importantly Markwell is yet again preparing winners nobody expects her to.Take Royal Esprit, the once broken-down galloper which has found a new lease on life as a rising seven-year-old at Markwell's Kembla complex.Shuffled through more homes than many would care to remember in his racing career, the Markwell touch recently helped Royal Esprit to a shock $101 win at Canterbury, the second of a winning double for the Queen of Kembla."She has a lot of success doing it," stable foreman John Mills said."She doesn't attract a lot of young stock, but a lot of old stock come here and it's about keeping them happy, plenty of carrots and they win."Gwenda had spruiked him to everyone and said to the owner she wanted four runs back in. That was his fourth run and he got the money."Mills said more wet tracks would advantage the former Team Hawkes charge who was sidelined for 15 months before joining Markwell."He's only just starting to warm up," he said. "The first couple were like trials basically."Now there are whispers a rejuvenated Royal Esprit could be headed to the winter sun of Queensland for a mid-year campaign.A possibility of being on the same float is Rolling Pin, the iron horse which now carries the mantle of Markwell's stable star.For a horse that doesn't know how to run a bad race, his earnings recently crashed through the $100,000 barrier.In seven starts, all at city meetings this campaign, he hasn't finished worse than fourth."He just puts in 110 per cent every week he goes round," Mills said."If he gets the right runs he wins. He has a lot of tough runs and he still bounces back the next week."