Exilia Miss sat last for the majority of the race before in-form hoop Ben Looker navigated his way through a tight gap to make a run for the line.

The mare drove through the gap and kept going to pinch the win in a head-bobber – just like Bridgetta Rose had done in the first race of the day for Osland – over Jenny Graham’s Art Attack with Graham’s other horse in the race, Backhouse Billy, claiming third.

The $2.60 favourite – Paddy Cunningham’s Carry On Jake – finished back in fifth to continue a “pretty ordinary” day for the Glen Innes trainer.

The Glen Innes trainer had five horses running at the Armidale meeting and missed out on the placings.

He said he was disappointed by the day’s losses.

“It’s been pretty ordinary,” Cunningham, who spoke to Fairfax Media midway through the day, said.

“I thought he [Carry On Jake] could nearly win but as things turned out, he had the run of the race but he couldn’t. So, we will have to go home and back to the drawing board.

“Most of his form is on a wet track so we might have to wait for that.”

Armidale Jockey Club secretary Jim Dedes said the club was pleased with the crowd of more than 50 people bustling around the track.

“It’s been a very good day with some great racing and not a bad little crowd,” Dedes said. 

“It is a bit dry but the grass has a great cushion so all the trainers are pretty happy with it.

“We’ve had about 85 horses go round in seven races with a few scratches. 

“We are very happy with the turnout. There are only two races on in Australia – here in Armidale and Queanbeyan.”