BY TOM BARBER - Daily Liberal - 20 February 2023

Praline's second run for the week proved to be the best way for the mare to break her winning drought after a victory at Mudgee on Sunday.

Running in the Oatley Wines Benchmark 66 Showcase Handicap (1200m), Praline showed great late speed to power home around the outside for victory.

Trained by Dar Lunn, the five-year-old mare had run at Dubbo Turf Club on Monday but failed to place and rather than the trainer giving her a break, Praline was back in action at Mudgee.

Having not won since November last year, Praline has a horse Lunn told Sky Thoroughbred Central he believes the mare has a lot of talent.

"She goes well this mare, I've taken her to Sydney and she's run third there," he said.

"She knows where to go and where the line is."

Jumping out of barrier six, Addictions ($7.50) and Titan Star ($15) got out well to lead the field early on proceedings.

Praline ($7) sat well back from the leaders, almost five lengths behind but started to find some rhythm as the race went on.

Rounding the final bend, Diamond Hands ($1.95) looked ready to kick away but Praline moved to the outside as the pair battled for the lead.

Eventually, it was Lunn's mare who kicked on and cruised home to take an impressive victory by more than two lengths ahead of Diamond Hands and Addictions.

Ridden by the highly respected Clayton Gallagher, Praline grabbed her sixth career win on Sunday and now sits over $100,000 in prizemoney won.

Following the race, Gallagher felt it was a return to form for the mare.

"It's just a matter of when she puts her best foot forward and today she really proved that," he said.

Lunn opted to throw blinkers back on the mare after a disappointing run at Dubbo, something Gallagher felt worked very well.

"I think the blinkers really brought her back on, she's had a couple of cold runs and just wasn't beginning and trying on her own terms," he said.

"I think the blinkers today sharpened her up. I would have liked to be a bit closer to the fence but as the race went on it's just how it happened."

Earlier in the day, Russley Crown (Scott Singleton, $2.25) took out the Gooree Park Benchmark 66 Showcase Handicap (1600m).

Mudgee trainer David Smith enjoyed his home track as Wandjina Spirit ($2.70) won the South Sydney Rabbitohs Country Boosted Showcase Maiden Plate (1200m) in a close finish.