Brooke McPherson and Tom Gilligan combined for their biggest win as a partnership with victory in Saturday night's Temora Pacers Cup.
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Rusty Crackers ($3.80) broke through for the biggest win of his career with a well-deserved victory in the $15,600 BFB & New Earthmoving Temora Pacers Cup (2386m).
After running second in the Griffith and Leeton Pacers Cup in recent times, Rusty Crackers broke through for a well-deserved feature race win.
Gilligan brought Rusty Crackers with a strong three-wide run and he held off the fast-finishing Carla Clare ($8.50) by a metre.
Sydney visitor Jimison ($8.00) finished third.
It reversed the result of the Leeton Pacers Cup on January 1, where Carla Clare edged out Rusty Crackers.
McPherson, who has been training for seven years, was excited to land the Cup win.
"We were very, very stoked," McPherson said.
"It's probably the biggest win Tom and I have had since we formed our partnership.
"It was great for Crackers to get that win as well. He's been close at his last few runs. His other two seconds have been really good runs so he deserved to have a win."
McPherson said it was a great thrill to win the Temora feature, a race and club with a proud history in the sport.
"Absolutely it is. They're a really lovely bunch over at Temora as well," she said.
"Jane Walker and Ray Walker do a great club with the club so it was nice."
While Rusty Crackers was sent out favourite, McPherson was not overly confident from the second row draw.
"I probably wasn't as confident as the last few weeks," she said.
"The second row was pretty tough, there were some good horses on it but when no one went around early I thought we had the upper hand."
McPherson, who trains at Tabletop, will now target the $15,300 Albury Pacers Cup (2570m) on February 14.
"I think we'll head to Menangle in a fortnight and have another crack there," she said.
"It's tough, you need everything to go your way when you go there but we're high up in the ratings now so we've got to look at those races. Then it will be the Albury Cup in Feb."
Rusty Crackers won in a winning mile rate of 2:00.8 for the long trip.
Meantime, Rickie Alchin made a winning return with group one winner Regulus ($1.22) won the TAB Odds & Evens Pace (1635m).
Zoes Regal won the South West Slopes Credit Union Final (2000m) for Ross Arentz, while Kettering Girl ($41.00) caused an upset in the Milbrae Quarries Final (2000m).
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