Murray Baker has trained his first group race winner since recently shifting north - but it came at an old stamping ground in the central districts.
Baker last month moved to Cambridge from Woodville where he had produced a string of major race winners both here and in Australia.
On Saturday at Hawera he scored with Verlei in the group three $40,000 Fayette Park Stakes (1400m) for fillies and mares.
Punters, however, were rocked by the win. Verlei was 14-15 in order of favouritism and returned her backers a win dividend of $38.90.
The Blue Traveller three-year-old went into the race with just one start - victory in a lowly 1200m maiden race at Gisborne on September 21.
Baker was not in attendance at Hawera, instead taking in the northern meeting at Rotorua. But he said the win did not surprise.
Verlei's racing career was to have started at Wanganui in August but she was withdrawn from the race when she proved difficult to load into the starting barrier.
"I thought that much of her, I put her in the listed fillies' race at Wanganui to have her first start," Baker said.
"But she wouldn't go in the stalls and was a late scratching."
Verlei, carrying only 48kg under the weight-for-age scale, made a smart beginning for apprentice Andrew Calder and was soon up on the pace.
The combination had a two-length advantage over their closest rivals turning for home and when Calder asked her for a serious effort, the pint sized filly responded immediately.
She strode clear to score by 3-3/4 lengths from Miss Jessie Jay, who ran on well. Bonnie Blue battled on well to be half head back third.
Plans for Verlei could see the filly race at Riccarton next month in the $130,000 One Thousand Guineas (1600m) on November 11.
- NZPA
Racing: Dainty Verlei rocks punters in Fayette
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