Championship win the ultimate thrill

WHAT'S better than winning your region's "biggest race of the year"...winning it twice!

Successful in last season's Riverina Championship in Wagga with quality pacer Thalassophobia, trainer Jackson Painting described the victory as the "ultimate for any trainer in this area".

Fast forward to last Friday night's meeting at the provincial circuit and Painting was once again holding the trophy aloft thanks to promising youngster Little Sassy Boy.

"I was rapt to win last year," Painting said. "It's the biggest race of the year for us and something we all aim for.

"As great as it was to win with Thalassophobia, to go back-to-back is something else altogether...it's an amazing thrill."

With in-form reinsman Nathan Jack in the cart, Little Sassy Boy was beaten for speed from the pole, settling two-back along the pegs as Watermain Lady worked to the lead from barrier eight.

Angled into the clear around the home turn, Little Sassy Boy reached the front in the last stride to score by a neck from Watermain Lady, with Draxon a metre away third.

"I felt the draw brought him into the race, and in the end, he got a good trip," Painting said. "He's a funny type in that he is so relaxed and doesn't show much on the training track, but turns up on race day as he did again."

Bred and owned by Gordon Grech, the three-year-old rated 1:55.1 over 2270 metres to take his record to six wins and five placings from 16 starts for a bankroll of $74,295.