Trainer Kym Davison is hopeful that Houlio's Dream can measure up as a Country Championship contender after making an impressive return to racing at Albury on Saturday.
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Resuming from a 26-week spell, Houlio's Dream notched his second career victory in the $22,000 Class One Handicap, (1000m) with jockey Blaike McDougall aboard.
The victory didn't come without some anxious moments with Houlio's Dream spotting the tearaway leader Off To War almost 10-lengths at the top of the straight.
Off To War still looked to have an unassailable lead at the 200m mark with her rivals still more than five lengths in arrears.
But Houlio's Dream sprouted wings over the final furlong to reel in the tiring leader to score by almost a length.
Davison said he was surprised by Houlio's Dream's finishing burst.
"I thought we were going to run second for sure," Davison said.
"But Blaike said there was plenty of pace in the race and the leader felt the pinch just before the post.
"It was a clever ride to go back at the start so he didn't get trapped wide.
"Once the leader skipped clear, I thought we were no show at all.
"But to the horse's credit he really stretched out over that final furlong and hit the line full of running."
Houlio's Dream ran second on debut late last year before notching his maiden win at Gundagai in his sixth career start.
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Davison than detected bone chips in the horse's joints that required surgery and a lengthy spell.
"He had to have an operation but he has really matured since," he said.
"I think he is a promising horse in the making.
"Hopefully he can get out over a bit more ground and run at least a strong 1400m.
"I would like to think he is capable of contesting the Country Championships.
"He could go around in a TAB Highway at his next start."
Meanwhile Albury trainers dominated Saturday's meeting, winning five of the seven races.
Apart from Davison, Ron Stubbs (No Borders), Mitch Beer (Snowbella), Gordon Yorke (Our Dreamsarefree) and Norm Loy (Waiting For A Mate) all landed a winner.
Corowa trainer Rick Freyer also enjoyed success with Boogie Woogie.
The club will hold its next meeting on Friday, November 6, which is set to be a twilight meeting.
The meeting will be highlighted by a new $30,000 feature race which will initially be called The Twilight.
It is a set weights race for three and four-year-olds over 1175m.
The winner will be exempt from the ballot of either the Albury Guineas or City Handicap over the two-day Albury carnival.
Horses must have had two previous starts in country NSW to be eligible.