He was all smiles following a copy-book ride on the three-year-old in the Saxbys Drury Distribution Country Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1400m  and had something to celebrate in turning 48 the next day.

The possible Taree Cup contender in August was cheered home by members of the 12 Lengths syndicate, one member being a beaming club CEO Brian Leggett, they holding a minor share with the trainer.

One of them, Gary Stewart, said the syndicate was formed with a bunch of mates, there being 12.

“We had a good win here recently and it was good to see him repeat it.”

Thurlow settled Editors mid-field and once the gelding saw daylight in the straight, the result was soon over, he being content for a length margin on the line.

“The horse had the race won a long way out,” he said.

Stitt has always had a high opinion of Editors which notched its third win at its ninth start and thinks it will make a country cups horse.

 Wauchope trainer Colt Prosser had a third with Rocket Monkey ($4.20) in the race but earlier had a win with three-year-old gelding Haames ($6.50) in the Saxbys Diet Ginger Beer Country Maiden Plate over 1400m, a race where Taree mare Annarose fell in the straight, tossing jockey Chloe Baker heavily to the turf.

She was complaining of a sore neck and back and was taken to Port Macquarie Base Hospital for treatment.

Port jockey Peter Graham was full of praise for Haames which showed a good turn of foot in coming off a couple of unlucky placings.

“I freshened him (horse) up and he was on the toe today,” Prosser said.

Graham said Haames was “nice and relaxed” and “could make a good horse.”

He had a winning double when scoring by a long head on four-year-old mare Kevacca’s Girl ($6.50), trained at Wyong by Jeff Englebrecht, in the Saxbys Flavoured Soft Drinks Benchmark 55 Handicap over 2000m.

“I had a terrific run and had to pop out a bit early but it was lucky I did,” Graham said.

Englebrecht said the win resulted in some unlucky runs and being at the right weight in a suitable race.

Kempsey trainer Hilary Dew was happy to at last find a good track as it aided the return to winning form of his five-year-old mare Wonderful Thing ($9.50), ridden a treat by apprentice Louise Day, in the Saxbys Bottled Water Benchmark 55 Handicap over 1250m.

“That was her fifth run in and she just doesn’t go as well on rain-affected tracks.

“She’s fit and I hope she can continue on winning,” he said.

A team of owners connected with the Tuncurry Bowling Club had a short head win with their five-year-old gelding Twelfth Raj ($8.50) , trained at Tuncurry by Terry Evans and ridden a positive race by Allan Chau, in the Saxbys Bottled Water Benchmark 50 Handicap over 1250m.

“It had been running in better races and the good barrier helped today,” Chau said.

Hawkesbury trainer, owner and breeder Bronwyn Mackie decided on the trip for her first win because she knew it would be good track for her three-year-old filly My Little Racer to have its first outing.

The filly, ridden by Chelsea Ings, so called because “she is really small”, scored by a half length at $41, much to the delight of stable followers.

Muswellbrook trainer Tim McIntosh and apprentice jockey Mikayla Weir upset favourite backers when six-year-old gelding Just Snooping pulled off a surprise at odds of $81 in the Saxbys Ginger Beer Benchmark 55 Handicap over 1000m.