A move from the harness racing world to thoroughbred racing proved rewarding for Uralla local Mitch Faulkner with a Cup win early in his career.
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Faulkner notched up his second win in his 18th start as a thoroughbred trainer with One of the Kind winning Saturday's Deepwater Cup.
The nine-year-old son of Reset beat Glen Innes Cup winner Amazingly to the line in the 1400 metre race.
"It means a lot, second winner as a thoroughbred trainer winning a Cup race, even though it is a country Cup," Faulkner said.
"It was a good feeling, especially transitioning from the harness racing to the thoroughbreds.
"The little horse, I think he is making me look like a good trainer at the moment.
"He is an honest horse, he has got more heart than any other horse I have ever had anything to do with."
Faulkner's transition from sulky to saddle came after an opportunity arose in 2018 to work with thoroughbreds at the start of their careers in Queensland.
From there he "got sucked into that world" but remained in harness racing.
Then in May 2021 he had his first start in the thoroughbreds with Modulo.
He is now based in Ipswich but has temporarily relocated to Armidale for family reasons.
One of the Kind was his first winner in Dalby in September before Saturday's Deepwater meet.
The Deepwater Jockey Club hadn't seen horses since its 2019 event.
While the current COVID-19 crisis saw crowd numbers down, those who were on hand saw Faulkner's "little horse" get the win with apprentice jockey Courtney Bellamy on board.
"Our little guy, he won pretty easy at the end of the day which we weren't expecting," Faulkner said.
"Very happy with him.
"Like I keep saying, he has got more heart than any horse I have ever had anything to do with."
For the young apprentice hoop, it was her first Cup win and the biggest of her career.
Not only did she win the Cup, but she piloted Stafford Wain's Ima Powerball for a win in the Class 1 1400m as well as Wain's Reliansive in the Benchmark 50 1600m, for her first career treble.
"Brilliant ride by Courtney," Faulkner said.
"Couldn't have asked for anything better.
"After the race she was telling me it was her first cup win and biggest win, first treble.
"The ride from her was ages above her age, she stayed calm and rode brilliantly."