Most improved five-year-old Wyong gelding Traumatised ($2.20), trained by Kristen Buchanan and ridden by Grant Buckley, came with a late run to snatch victory by a half-length to make it three wins from 11 starts, two of them in a row.

“He took a while to learn his trade but now he has been most consistent,” Buchanan said.

“I didn’t think much of him when he first arrived but has gradually learned the racing caper.”

Buckley added to the tradesmanlike win saying that the gelding had developed into “a real professional.”

Five-year-old mare Valbeata ($8) normally settles back in her races but apprentice jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor  took advantage of his good start to lead to the shadows of the winning post, its second minor placing since resuming from a spell due to hoof problems.

But the stable was on good terms after promising four-year-old gelding Texas Storm ($8), ridden by Terry Treichel, took advantage of gaps from mid-field to score stylishly by just over a length in the Harrington Cup 2 Jan Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1000m.

Milligan’s son, Glen, said he took the pacifiers off the “big striding fella” and its work during a spell showed he would go well.

Treichel said “it was a very good win… still a bit green… but should get 1400m to 1500m.”

Port Macquarie apprentice jockey Cejay Graham has lately pulled off some wins on big odds gallopers and she was at it again with three-year-old Port filly Gold Rhapsody which scored for trainer Margaret de Gonneville at $51 in the Merry Christmas Maiden Handicap over 1000m.

The trainer said the win was a belated one for her birthday on December 13 but “a good Christmas present”.

Gold Rhapsody was only having her second start and is a half-sister to good gallopers Gold Beret and Gold Dancer.

Cessnock trainer Rodney Northam likes to visit his Taree parents, Pat and Shirley, while mixing business with pleasure and the two came to the fore when four-year-old filly True Finesse ($6) was taken to the front by jockey..

Robert Thompson to be never headed for a 2.35 lengths win in the Thank You Sponsors 2018 Class 1 and Maiden Plate over 1600m.

The trainer said ear-muffs removed had the filly “rolling and kept rolling.”

Part-owner John Koller from the Central Coast likes coming to Taree for races as he has been twice and each time his racehorse has won.

This time it was Wyong three-year-old filly Belle De Vega ($4.20), trained by Kim Waugh and ridden by Serg Lisnny, in the XXXX Gold Maiden Handicap over 1300m, the other time he won with Aroused “about five years  ago”, trained by Allan Denham.

Scone trainer Brett Cavanough brought Syd’s Footprints ($2.80), ridden by Darryl McLellan, for its first start in the Hogan Plumbing Group Maiden over 1000m and went home happy after a long neck win.