The smart eight-year-old returned to top form by claiming a thrilling win in the $30,000 feature race at the surprise odds of $54.50.

It was the son of Mach Three's 12th career win from 73 starts and a third from his last eight starts dating back to November.

Norman hailed Zadaka as a model of consistency and expressed astonishment at the gelding's starting price.

"He had been going well in the lead up to Friday night and he never runs a bad race," he said.

"They said he was outclassed, but he'd raced in a New Zealand Cup before coming over here (in mid-2018).

"He didn't win it and did finish well back, but he got a run in it. You have to be pretty good to get a run in a race like that.

"He's been a very good horse for Cormack Racing, very consistent, very honest and tries hard. He's always around the money.

"If the race is run to suit and he gets the right run, he's always there at the finish."

The win boosted Zadaka's overall career record to 12 wins and 21 placings for earnings of $174,801.

Norman hopes Friday night's win will be enough to secure Zadaka a spot in the field for this Saturday night's $50,000 Group 2 Terang Pacing Cup and he will head south with confidence of another consistent performance.

"It will be a harder race, Emma Stewart will have a few in it I'm told, but he'll be his honest self," he said.

Norman said Kerryn Manning, who drove the Jess Tubbs-trained Im Anothermasterpiece into third place behind Zadaka, would be back aboard his horse at Terang after Jodi Quinlan picked up the winning drive at Ararat.

"Kerryn will get the first option, but Jodi has been a good catch driver for us, she won a Group 3 (Country Clubs Championship Final) on Adam Cartwright," he said.

"Both her and Kerryn are great drivers as we know."

There was further success on the weekend for Norman on his home track on Sunday following a win to Blue Coman.

The grey trotter, driven by Kerryn Manning, came off 20-metres to narrowly overhaul the pacemaker Lavina in the shadows of the post to record a 1.5 metre win.

Blue Coman looks set to join Zadaka and recent stable acquisition Apieceoflou in Terang on Saturday night.

Norman said he was pleased with the effort of Apieceoflou at Melton on Saturday night following his fourth behind the smart Emma Stewart-trained colt Act Now and Idyllic.

"They ran a super-time; he went 1:56 over 2100m and run a distant fourth ... Act Now just blew us away and is probably the best three-year-old in the land," he said.

"He's a nice horse and hopefully should win some races along the way."

The three-year-old was having only his third run for Norman and previously won at his Australian debut at Shepparton in December.

Meanwhile, John Tormey added to the terrific run being enjoyed by the Charlton training ranks by notching a winner on his home track on Sunday.

Tormey scored his second win of the 2021 season with a win to the six-year-old gelding Aztec Inti, who was driven by Ellen Tormey.

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