The three-and-a-half hour trip to Coleraine on Saturday was worth it for Bendigo trainer Nick Smart.
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Smart won the feature event the $45,000 Coleraine Cup with middle-distance galloper Silent Command.
With impressive apprentice Will Price in the saddle, Silent Command defied a betting drift to win the Cup in fine style.
The six-year-old gelding travelled outside leader Rivet Delight before kicking clear at the top of the straight.
He relished the soft track and won by a length from Rivet Delight, with Patch Adams making ground to finish third.
It was Silent Command's sixth career win from 29 starts and he cracked the $200,000 prize money mark.
"The horse had been in super form all preparation until his last run at Moonee Valley which was disappointing,'' Smart said.
"However, he pulled up from that race with a virus, so we just had to be patient with him.
"He was eight weeks between runs today, but he'd been flying on the track.
"We were very confident and the owners had a very nice punt. I think some of them got 20-1 and absolutely punished the bookies."
It was a sentimental win for Smart and jockey Will Price.
Will's father Simon rode Silent Command's mother Silent Surround to victory in a Group Three race for Nick's father.
"It was a great win with all the family connections,'' Smart said.
"Will rode the horse perfectly. He did a great job."
Smart will weigh up returning to his native South Australia with Silent Command in a fortnight's time for a crack at the Listed Tokyo City Cup (1800m).
Smart won the race last year with stabelmate Single Handed.
"He loves wet tracks this horse, so if it looks like it's going to be wet in Adelaide we might send him over there,'' Smart said.
For now, Smart's content celebrating the Coleraine Cup success.
"I could get used to having a drink out of these country cups,'' Smart said with a chuckle.
It's a safe bet that the trip home to Bendigo was longer than the three-and-a-half hour trip to Coleraine.
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