Protalegre put in an impressive showing to take out the $10,000 Pub Group Gold Nugget at the Tamworth Paceway on Tuesday night.
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"I have been setting the horse for the race - it has always been on my radar," Hunter Valley trainer Clayton Harmey said.
Portalegre - a six-year-old Bettors Delight-Marvao Cam gelding - was having his fifth run back from a spell with Harmey engaging Blake Hughes to take the reins.
"I was confident coming into the race and the horse was driven confident," Harmey said.
"Blake knows the horse and just has to hang on for the ride. The horse races strong and puts in all the effort.
"We will look at his next start being in the Tamworth City Cup."
The $12,000 Garrard's Tamworth City Cup will be part of the Tamworth Harness Racing Club Finals night on January 21.
As a reinsman Harmey won the inaugural running of the Gold Nugget race back in 2001, with the Allan Beresford trained Tight Fit, and the training win was a nice way to celebrate the 21st running of the Gold Nugget race which still carries a gold nugget as trophy.
"It was good to win the race as a driver but now it is good to win the race as a trainer," Harmey added.
For 19-year-old reinsman Blake Hughes winning the Gold Nugget race was his biggest success to date.
"It was pretty good," Hughes said.
"I haven't won a race like that before.
"It was a big run by the horse - he had to do a bit of work to get to the lead and then he had to finish the race off the way he did."
From the nine barrier Hughes weaved Portalegre from the second row, missing a scrimmage at the front of the field before taking the race lead as the field headed into the home straight on the first occasion.
"Once I hit the front I just had to keep rolling along as the main danger was outside of me," Hughes said of Surfers Delight.
Portalegre covered the 1980-metre race distance in a mile rate of 1.57.1 and a winning margin of 9.7 metres over the Dean Chapple-trained and driven Asterism and $2.30 race favourite Surfers Delight (Tom Ison) from the Roy Roots jnr stables 12.4 metres away third,
Quarters for the race were first quarter 31.3 seconds; second quarter 28.2 seconds; third quarter 28.4 seconds and final quarter 30.6 seconds.
Blake Hughes will retain the drive on Portalegra in the Tamworth City Cup.
"That is my aim now, to win the cup race, but that is easier said than done," Hughes said.
Portalegra and Blake Hughes have built into a handy pair as well with the duo combining on 15 occasions.
"I have had eight wins driving the horse (Portalegra) so let's hope we continue on," Hughes said.
