Top Sydney jockey Tommy Berry finished with four winners, but it will be Kembla Grange trainer Theresa Bateup considering her chances of city success with Golly I'm Lucky on Thursday.
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Slow away from the outside gate, Andrew Adkins would not be deterred, as Golly I'm Lucky swept around the field, producing a third straight win in a Conditional Benchmark 70, this time stretching out from 1200m to 1300m.
The Matthew Smith-trained Joy And Mirth fought gamely for second after being ahead of Golly I'm Lucky in running on the turn, with Gitan third.
Bateup had already told the Mercury last week she would consider throwing the five-year-old gelding 'in the deep end' up in grade midweek or even on Saturday in town, following the perfect preparation which continued on Thursday.
The Doctor is in
After finishing second in four of his first six starts, Doctor Mancini delivered for trainer Gwenda Markwell on Thursday.
The three-year-old Wandjina gelding was threatened again in the straight, but this time stared down the challenge of the Mark Newnham-trained Sweeping Brook, fighting on to break through in a 1400m Maiden.
He lumped the 60.5 kilograms along the way with Keagan Latham aboard, the Gerald Ryan two-year-old gelding Tectonicus third, with Bateup's consitent filly La Bella Rosie fourth.
Worth the wait
Seven minutes past start time, a late scratching, backed out of the gates himself and a wide run.
There were plenty of possible excuses on offer for hot favourite On The Lead, trained by Richard and Michael Freedman, but the two-year-old took it all in his stride in the 1000m two-year-old Maiden.
After finishing seventh lengths fifth behind Golden Slipper winner Farnan in the Group 2 Todman Stakes, On The Lead returned to racing off the back of two trials, and burst clear to beat Godolphin filly Virgo by more than two lengths. The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Dashing Statement was scratched at the barrier amid the pre-race drama, which left four runners, including On The Lead, languishing in the barrier before the jump.
"He's got his share of talent," trainer Michael Freedman told Sky Racing.
"He still does a bit wrong, in the straight he wanted to tuck out a bit and Tommy (Berry) had to swap the stick, but I think once he really learns his craft, he's quite a nice colt.
"It's nice to get him to break his Maiden now and we can look at better targets, it's hard to say how far he'll get, but he's a nice six to seven furlong (1200-1400m) horse."
Snitzel filly on Global quest
Golden Rose-nominated two-year-old Snitzel filly Global Queen's potential was on show as Andrew Adkins kicked clear in the straight in Thursday's 1300m Maiden.
Adkins took control in the straight and Global Queen responded in kind, cruising to a two-length victory after jumping at $1.35 for Peter and Paul Snowden.
"She a lovely type of filly, we do have an opinion of her," stable representative Holly Williams told Sky Racing.
Taking on older horses, it was her second career run, after finishing fourth in a two-year-old fillies Maiden at Canterbury in June.
"She got bumped around a little bit, which I don't think she appreciated," Williams said. "She still ran OK after that, we gave her a let-up and soft trial to get her confidence back."
Tyrone Coyle's Prince Aurelius defied his $31 quote to finish second, holding off an impressive third for Brett Lazzarini's Taumalolo.
After finishing off well over 1000m for fourth on debut, Taumalolo relished the further trip.
