Trained by Wanda Ings and ridden by her daughter Chelsea, Pop Power ($19) was an outside chance but in memorial races, it seems anything can happen.

Chuck'n'paul ($8.50) trained by Geoff O'Brien led the field for much of the race and was in prime position coming around the final bend before two horses made moves.

Annie's Missile ($4.60) trained by Sharon Jeffries and ridden by daughter Tiffany along Pop Power both looked for some clean air along the final straight with the former taking the inside line along the railing.

Pop Power held to the outside and quickly made ground on Annie's Missile over the final 200 metres to eventually win in what would be a photo finish handing the Ings pairing the win.

Following the win, Wanda Ings was extremely pleased with the performance of Pop Power in the run especially after the horse has enjoyed some success in Gilgandra previously.

"We haven't bought him back here (until Saturday), he won his last start here," she said.

"I was just talking to Connie (Greig) it was probably about two years ago and Greg Ryan rode him.

"Greg had a real good infinity with him, winning and running second by a nose then he won a showcase race at Bathurst.

"We thought this horse is going to be a really nice one but then he just sort of lost his mojo.

"But he has got it back, like today was his third start this time in."

While Saturday's win may have been Pop Powers first win in this spell, Ings knows he is a horse that will always give it his all on the track.

"He's a lovely horse and he tries hard," she said.

"It was just something went wrong in that last preparation so we tipped him out and thought we can only bring him back.

"But he loves Gilgandra."

Ings admitted she was actually unaware the race was a memorial named after the late Kate Smith but the trainer felt honoured to win the event.

"I wasn't aware of that until sort of last minute,"

"It was very good.

"The club always puts on a good show here.

"The track is always a good surface."

Chuck'n'paul was good enough to finish in third place just ahead of Gisela's Crown trained by Dubbo's Clint Lundholm.

Unfortunately for Jeffries, it was her second close loss of the day after finishing centimetres away from a first place finish for Sallista in the Western Farm Machinery Maiden Handicap (1200 metres) earlier in the day with Witness Me Run taking out the win for William Freedman.

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