Kyneton trainer Marita Lawson was thrilled to win a race on Saturday with a galloper who had not raced for just over nine months.
Having his third race start, San Mauritz showed plenty of courage to race on the pace in a 1200m Maiden at Warracknabeal.
Starting as a $11 chance, the four-year-old gelding was ridden by Patrick Maloney.
He fought on strongly to hold off outsider Little Snitty to win by 0.2 of a length.
San Mauritz showed considerable promise at his only two starts last November, finishing fourth and second respectively at Wangaratta and Benalla.
Lawson produced him in a trial at Tatura on August 18, where he finished fifth, beaten by nearly five lengths.
It’s not often a galloper wins first-up after being off the racing scene for so long.
Lawson and the multiple owners will be hoping the win at Warracknabeal is a sign of better things to come.
