A special victory in the group 3 Inter City Pace Final (2422m) from Benalong Valley brought Sydney trainer Trevor Munday full circle on Saturday night at Maitland.
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The $1.65 favourite, one of only two finalists not trained in the Hunter, showed his class to run down Our Uncle Alan ($7.50) and win the 57th Inter City Pace by 2.7 metres in a 1:59:2 mile rate.
Benalong Valley, third in last year's final, settled second last in the running line as Louth Park driver Brad Elder made an early move on the Darren Elder-trained Our Uncle Alan.
The Cameron Davies-trained Battle Chimes, with Josh Gallagher aboard, handed up the lead to Our Uncle Alan, which took the field through 29.9 and 28.4-second middle sections.
Cameron Hart went three wide on Benalong Valley approaching the bell lap and slotted into the one-one position down the back straight.
They came around Our Uncle Alan and the Melanie Elder-trained Ashark on the turn and proved too strong in the straight. Battle Chimes rallied late to grab third.
It was a first win in the $30,600 race for Munday, who had success with Natural Ace in the Pink Bonnet, then worth $20,000, in 2009.
"It was special because it is family owned, and two of the owners were my original owners when I first started training years ago," Munday said of Saturday's night win.
"Trevor Roberts was my first client and Mark Mobilio sent me Benalong Valley's mother [Cedar Valley] to race at Harold Park back in the day.
"He bred [Benalong Valley] then we bought into him as a yearling, so that's nice to have the people that you train for around so long.
"Mum and Dad own a quarter as well, so it's a good bunch of owners. Mark Salotti is a first-time owner so he's not a bad one to get first-up.
"It's a prestigious race this one, it's been around a long time and the club is a good club, and HRNSW back it up, so it's good."
He said the race set-up perfectly for his five-year-old, which was a second-row starter alongside Ashark, Our Uncle Alan and Sergei.
"I was happy enough with the pace," he said.
"Once the leader got to the top he looked a little bit keen, and I don't know if they wanted to go that quick.
"When [Hart] made his move and dropped back into the running line up the back, it was perfect for our fella and he finished off good."
It was part of a double on the night for Hart, who had won with Cocofollownoone.
"I thought he was the one to beat and I just went out there with a clear mind really," Hart said. "I wasn't sure how it would pan out, but I thought Brad would want to get going early. Sitting back in the field, I thought the lead time come up quick enough for my guy to come late and get over the top of them."
Nulkaba trainer Clayton Harmey added a winning double and track record to his flying start to the season.
Tralee Rocks ($1.20) won the Charlie Camilleri Memorial and Hedges Avenue flashed home to claim the Maitland Cup in a 1:55:8 mile rate. It bettered the 1646m track standard set by Mach Beauty of 1:56:6 in 2014.
Leigh Sutton drove Hedges Avenue and last-race winner Seddon Dollar to victories.
Jake Hughes won on Tralee Rocks and Our Bushwacker (Stacie Elliott).