It had been 10 months since Glen Innes trainer Paddy Cunningham last visited the winner's circle but a newcomer to his stable delivered the goods in Armidale on Saturday.
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Coming out of the inside barrier in the 1100m Benchmark 58, Shiver Me Timbers hit the lead early and couldn't be stopped from there as jockey Jeff Kehoe guided her home by three-and-a-half lengths.
The six-year-old mare is owned by a host of Glen Innes and Deepwater locals and has been in Cunnigham's care for seven weeks after previously being trained by Inverell-based Luke Berger.
Cunningham thought she had the goods to win but didn't quite expect such a dominant display.
"I didn't think it would win that well," he said.
"I thought she would win but the one-alley helped her win, made it easier than it would have been.
"Once she was able to get to the front easy, it was going to make it hard for the rest of them."
Cunnigham's last win came at the Glen Innes Cup meet in January with the now-retired Too Hard To Call.
It had also been seven months since Shiver Me Timbers' last start in March.
Cunningham is aiming to race her again in Armidale on November 8 and believes she's still got improvement in her.
"The way she went then, she shouldn't have trouble winning another one anyway," he said.
"She should be able to improve but luck went her way."
In the meantime, Cunningham plans to head to Moree on Friday with maiden Mini Me.
"She's struggling to win a race, it all depends on how strong they [the field] are," he said.
"She not the strongest horse in the world."
Other winners on the day included Keith Smith's Ballybrack in the 1100m Class 1. The Brad Munro-trained Italian Tune was far too good for the rest of the field in the Class 1 and Maiden Plate over 1900m. Armidale's Stirling Osland took a win in the 1400m Maiden Plate with Get On Board. Knickerbockerglory also broke through for her first win for Sue Grills in the 1100m Maiden Handicap while Scone-based Scott Singleton scored a win with Pink Patina in the final, 1300m Benchmark 50.