A local horse racing duo have paired up to turn in a winner at Kilmore on Saturday afternoon.
Apprentice jockey Rose Hammond partnered the Rhys Archard-trained Limbering to an exciting win in the $27,000 Gratitude to Bev Carman Rating 58 Handicap (1600m).
Hammond displayed great composure over the concluding stages as she guided the five-year-old daughter of Ferlax to victory by a head from Under The Rock.
Limbering ($12) provided Hammond’s second career win and her first at a TAB program.
Her debut success came aboard Bon Shadow for her boss Gwenda Johnstone at Kerang on Boxing Day 2022.
Limbering, part-owned by Echuca Football Club senior coach Simon Maddox, took her career record to two wins from 20 starts.
Limbering and Hammond made a solid jump out of the gates in the hot and sunny conditions, slotting into the middle of the pack early.
They sat there through the 1000m mark, before Hammond made her move coming out of the final turn.
Limbering charged through a gap, jumping to the outside of the leaders and pushing ahead towards the front.
It was a two-horse race as Limbering chased down Under The Rock, who had been towards the front from the get-go, as they charged towards the finish.
The two were neck-and-neck with 200 to go, but Hammond and Limbering pulled ahead ever so slightly to cross the line just inches in front of Under The Rock.
The race was a photo finish, but when the picture of the line came through, it confirmed Hammond and Limbering’s victory.
Hammond, 20, from Tongala, is part of Echuca racing legend Gwenda Johnstone’s stable.
Hammond had two wins and two places in her 34-race starts following her victory on Saturday.
For Archard, Limbering’s victory is his first winner of 2023.
He has 39 career race wins under his belt overall, with a career win rate of 6 per cent.