The six-year-old gelding, again immaculately driven by Bendigo's Ellen Tormey, charged to his first country cup win in the $20,000 Group 3 Echuca Trotters Cup (2530m).

It was a boilover of sorts, with Zarem well down in the betting at $19.

But the son of Wishing Stone and the mare Broadacrossthebeam was able to consolidate the good recent form which brought him a metro win at Melton earlier in the month and a third at the same venue seven days later, proving too strong in the straight for Get Lucky (Andy and Kate Gath) and the tiring Moreton Bay ($1.60 favourite).

It was the biggest career win for Innes-Goodridge as a trainer in her own right and with the support of husband Dean, and their first country cup success.

Off 10-metres, Zarem showed no signs of the problems that have at times plagued him at the start and at the end of his races.

His blistering finish left even his greatest admirer Innes-Goodridge shocked.

"We are still a bit emotional, we sort of lost it a bit last night," Innes-Goodridge said on Saturday morning.

"I think Dean ran the whole way up the straight screaming and Ellen said, 'I think he beat the horse'.

"I just couldn't believe it, I was so rapt.

"He's just a little horse that has sort of come from not much at all and nothing and he is just learning to believe in himself.

"He surprises me every time he wins.

"I'm used to that little horse that used to pull up in the straight; you'd lead on him and he'd stop.

"One day at Kilmore and another at Maryborough he just stopped on the line, but he's just got stronger and he's learned to believe.

"That's because we drive him cold all the time. We sit him under cover and he goes well when he thinks he's going well.

"I was worried Ellen might have pulled out too early last night and he would give us nothing up the straight, but he ate the line.

"I'm still speechless."

On reflection, Innes-Goodridge said she should know better than to doubt Tormey, who has developed a tremendous affinity with the much-improved trotter.

The 31-year-old, currently running second on the state driver's premiership standings, has been in the sulky for six of Zarem's 10 career wins from 77 starts for earnings of $120,930.

"I can't praise my driver enough, she is just brilliant," Innes-Goodridge said.

"I was worried a bit last night, but thought the worst-case scenario, we'll drop a couple of points," she said.

"But Echuca's not far from home and at least I've got the driver - if anyone can do it Ellen can and she did it for us."

A career-high has Zarem's trainer thinking of a target back home, with Innes-Goodridge eyeing a start in the $30,000 Group 2 Bendigo Trotters Cup on April 8.

She said it would be another great experience for the horse and a major thrill for Dean and herself.

"As long as he has pulled up well and everything is good," she said.

"It's just next door and it's just another experience for the horse.

"I don't go in thinking we are going to win - I didn't even think we'd run a place (on Friday night), I'm pretty humble about it all.

"But he deserves a go at it and I think he's off the front. There's no travel involved, so that's always a good thing."

The win was one of three on cup night for Bendigo region participants, with Sutton Grange trainer Ross Graham taking out the opening race with Roxy Royale, and Bendigo reinsman Jack Laugher combining with Charlton trainer John Tormey to win the last race with Ferocious Son.

As she did at Melton following Zarem's March 12 win, Tormey again praised a great training performance.

"I am absolutely rapt for Carla and Dean - they are just happy to go around and to win a race like this means the world to them," she said on TrotsVision.

READ MORE: Zarem, Innes-Goodridge make the most of their luck at Melton

"They are happy to win any race really, so this is a big thrill.

"He handled (the standing start) no problems. He was a little bit of a rogue early on and he was a bit funny away, but lately, he has calmed down and he went away really well.

"First time over the longer distance I think, and he handled it no problems. I'm really happy."

Meanwhile, the combination of Demon Delight and Jackie Barker savoured country cup success for the second time in six days by taking out the $35,000 Group 3 Echuca Pacing Cup.

In an almost carbon copy of last Sunday's cup race at Charlton, Barker rolled straight to the lead on the six-year-old, who was too strong for a pair of his stablemates - Like A Wildfire ($2.20 favourite) and Phoenix Prince - when the pressure was applied in the straight.

Barker, who branded Demon Delight 'a little ripper, said she continued to be grateful for the opportunity to partner such a good horse.

"I was hoping, probably more than confident (of finding the front) - he's got the gate speed and he had the best sort of draw to get to the front," she told TrotsVision.

"I was hoping that was going to be the case.

"A few had a crack early, which you need to in these sorts of races, but once we got the front, we were able to control the race from there and that was probably the winning move."

Trained by Emma Stewart, Demon Delight picked up his 13th career win in 34 starts for earnings of $244,520.

It was a third Group 3 cup win for Hamilton-based Barker following her success aboard Deedenuto at Ararat in 2020 and Demon Delight at Charlton last week.

READ MORE: Cup win Delight for Barker at Charlton

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