All the support before Sunday's $20,000 Hermitage Hill Retreat Maiden Handicap (900m) at Wellington Race Club was with Mark Milton's Skye Lover ($1.75) but Alison Smith's Cotton On George defied the odds movement, breaking his maiden with Matthew Cahill in the saddle after the favourite missed the start by six lengths and never looked in it.
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Smith's gelding was drawn in barrier seven for the sprint and after a fast start that saw Cotton on George and two others lead the rest of the pack, he was able to work his way towards the fence and get into a pole position for the home stretch.
He looked good coming around the bend holding a narrow lead but looked even better when he put the after burners on as Matthew Cahill got absolutely everything out of the gelding as he broke his maiden with a two-length triumph from Praline ($61), to Chilli Pop ($31).
The gelding ran third first-up off a spell at Narromine on April 27 and managed to go two better on Sunday.
Krissy Krystyna was the next from Smith's stables to jump as the $6.50 chance competed in race two, the $20,000 Allendale Merino Stud Maiden Handicap (900m), fighting home valiantly for a third-placed prize.
The bronze medal was her second in as many races since coming back from a spell as the mare's looked fit and healthy for smith during this preparation.
Matthew Cahill made it two for two in that race, riding home Cloud Factory ($3) for a comfortable victory ahead of Tenango ($3.50).
Krissy Krystyna came out slow as she was second last after the opening 100 metres and after rejoining the pack before the bend, was in with as good a shot as any ahead of the final 400m.
Cloud Factory worked its way into an attacking position and kicked on for an impressive victory but Krissy Krystyna showed pace and came home swiftly to fall short of second place by a neck.
Supreme Gem's run of poor form continued in the $20,000 Wellington Soldiers Memorial Club Class 2 Plate (1400m) as she ran last in a pack of 11 horses.
Kody Nestor's Eva's Deel ($3) ran home to win from Narrow Neck Nelson ($18) ahead of favourite Pure Faith ($1.80 who finished third.
The triumph marked two wins on-the-bounce for Eva's Deel, ensuring the Nestor stables stay red hot. The three-year-old filly looks a promising sort and blitzed the competition at Narromine on April 27 as well.
Sharon Jeffries' Happy Partner ($19) was brave in the $20,000 Keirle's Pharmacy Benchmark 58 Handicap (1600), running seventh after establishing a decent position on the outside at the turn.
Happy Partner's results have hit a stand still since winning Orange Gold Cup prelude back in March as she's now failed to place in back-to-back showings.
Winning the sixth race of the day was Michael Mulholland's Universal Thief ($8) from Dean Mirfin's Saint Ay ($16) who was ahead of Gayna Williams' Western Parade.
The winning result looked to be building for Universal Thief as the six-year-old gelding finished second in its last two races before Sunday.
Rounding out the Orange involvement at Wellington was Brad Draper's Seawatch ($6.50) who finished last in the $20,000 Australia Racing Trophies GG & E Benchmark 58 Handicap (1000m).
Longshot, Red Marauder ($23) looked destined to pass the post first but a flashing, hometown favourite Harry New Shoes ($3.90) got the chocolate for Jim McMillan while Billy Bent Ear ($26) finished third.
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