KATRINA and Geoff Cain's three-year-old pacer Outside Fighter continues to show he has more than one string to his bow.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"He can show a bit of dash out of the gate and he's shown that he can finish off as well," said Katrina Cain, who stylishly steered the Art Major gelding to his third career win at Lord's Raceway on Wednesday night.
"We bred him from one of the mares I own (Charli Springfield) and it's been a nice trip with him so far.
"We've had 26 starts for three wins with him now, so we're pretty happy."
Especially pleasing for the Cains, Outside Fighter, after taking 15 starts to knock over his maiden win, has now peeled off three wins in the space of 11 runs, together with a trio of thirds.
Only twice in that time has he finished outside a top five position.
Originally trained by Cain's father Peter Salathiel at Goornong, Outside Fighter has since bounced from Roma Pocock to Gordon Rothacker Medal winner Bruce Morgan at Junortoun
"We wanted to try something a bit different with him and see if we could improve him," Cain said
"Bruce's is just across the road from the track, which helps me out a bit more as I have a 14-month old (Lewis), who I need looking after, before I work the horse."
Cain expects Outside Fighter to be back in action on November 10 at Swan Hill.
But the longer-term goal is a tilt at the rich Vicbred Super Series in December.
"That's what he is paid up for, but then after that he will probably have a bit of a spell and then his four-year-old year will start," she said.
"Hopefully, he will go well in those races as he seems to be improving with each run, so fingers crossed.
"We just go for luck - it is what it is - a lot of it comes down to your draw."
With three runs now under his belt for Morgan for a first-up sixth, a third and a win, Cain believed Outside Fighter was starting to relish his new environment.
"He now trains on a hill, which he wasn't doing, so that might have increased his fitness and given him a bit more stamina.
"Bruce and the team there are great and just wonderful to work with.
"They are really supportive for a small owner."
Elsewhere on the program, Bagshot trainer Mary-Jane Mifsud continued her purple patch following a second-consecutive win by Pearls For Tash.
The four-year-old mare backed up her 10m victory from the previous week at Echuca with a fighting half-neck win over the Noel Watson-trained Cobalt Blues in the opening race.
Pearls For Tash, by Shadow Play out of Roses For Tash, is thriving on plenty of racing following three starts for two wins and a placing within the space of nine days.
She finished third at Lord's Raceway on October 20, the night before her victory at Echuca.
Daniel Jack was again the winning driver.
Mifsud has now trained three winners with her last four starters with Imnopumpkin kick-starting a successful two weeks for the stable with a win at Bendigo on October 20.
Earlier on Wednesday, trainer Kate Hargreaves and driver Jordan Leedham combined for a win at Tabcorp Park Melton with Jilliby Roy.
It was the five-year-old third career win in 19 starts and a second for the pairing of Hargreaves and Leedham in 11 starts for the Shelbourne stable.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.