Black Jade broke her maiden and delivered Jane Clement her first winner for the new season with a commanding performance in the Verdict Coffee Maiden Plate (1250m) at Gunnedah on Tuesday.
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After settling just off the lead, the four-year old was never challenged in the straight as she cruised to an almost three length win; the biggest margin of the day.
The judges were kept busy with three of the seven races decided by less than a length.
Coming off a fourth last start at Scone and second-placings in her two runs previous to that - Moree on July 20 and Quirindi on June 5 - Clement felt Black Jade was due to break through.
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"She's been an honest little thing," the Bendemeer trainer said.
"She gets a bit hot at times but she's finally coming around to what we know she can do."
She said drawing a "decent" barrier (she jumped from three) made a difference.
"She's always drawn outside and had to do it tough," she said.
At both Scone and Moree she drew wide and had to work her way across.
Clement said it was nice to get a win and "get the monkey off the back" early in the season.
It was also great, she said, to get a win for Keith Harris and Black Jade's group of owners.
"They've stuck by me and stuck by her," she said.
Harris also bred the bay or brown mare.
Clement had a good day, also picking up a second with Hardyo in the Join GJC Class 3 Handicap (1600m).
"I was really happy with the run," she said.
"He gets back but he got to the line well."
From back around sixth coming into the home straight, the six-year old stormed home to finish just over a length behind winner Valadyium (Connie Greig).
Hardyo's second followed a win at Moree on the last day of the old season.
"He's getting there," Clement said.
"He's been on top of the ground the last two starts and run first and second."
It is a busy week of racing in the Hunter and North West with Scone on Thursday, Muswellbrook on Friday and Gunnedah again on Monday.