Horsham trainer Paul Preusker conquered a major race at Warrnambool's May Racing Carnival after more than a decade of trying with victory in the $175,000 listed Midfield Group Wangoom Handicap.
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Preusker's sprinter I Am Someone was at the back of the field coming to the home turn but raced to the line to give him his biggest pay-day at the carnival.
"Quite often I go home and go 'I'm never going back'," he said of his lack of success at the carnival.
"It's good to win this."
He said he had been bringing horses to the carnival for "10 or 12 years". His sole winner in that time at Warrnambool was back in 2003.
"I've never been game to come here really," he said.
Preusker said his Adelaide Cup win with Surprise Baby in March was the biggest success of his career.
"But I'm happy to get one at the carnival," he said.
Preusker said the 1200-metre Wangoom never went to plan for him and jockey Dean Holland.
With 600 metres to go, he was thinking "we are too far back".
But Holland stuck to the fence rounding the turn as the field fanned wider and with about 180-metres to run, he and the four-year-old gelding hit the front and kicked clear.
Preusker said he would take I Am Someone to the group one Goodwood Handicap later this month, describing the Wangoom as a "pipe-opener".
Western Australian sprinter Malibu Style was second while the Symon Wilde-trained Inn Keeper was third.
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