Yankee One proved he was worth waiting on when the 5yr-old trotter won at Winton on Saturday at his first start.
"I have Allan Beck [Winton horseman] to thank for getting him to the races," Trevor Wilson, the Winton owner-trainer of Yankee One, said.
"He cracked a pedal bone as a 3yr-old and it wouldn't heal."
Beck, a neighbour of Wilson, felt he could get on top of the problem, and he was successful.
Yankee One qualified at Winton on November 18 when he won his test by 52 lengths in 3.10.3, 10.7sec inside the required time.
Yankee One, a gelding by Muscles Yankee, is the fourth winner from as many foals to race out of his dam, Sun Stroke.
He was bred by Wilson, who won five races with Sun Stroke in the 1990s.
The Sundon mare was trained for her first two wins by Terry May at Methven and her other three by Wilson.
Her other winning progeny are Heart Attack, Elizabeth Anne and In My Dreams.
Wilson, a fencer, bred Sun Stroke after being loaned the mare Montego by Ray Jenkins and Diane Kean.
Montego, a trotting winner, was a half-sister by Sir Dalrae to well-performed trotters Tobago, Globe Pride, Trinidad and Golden Blue.
Wilson took out a licence in 1989 to train the trotter Willie Bee Bee, winner of four races and runner-up to Jenny's Rocket in the 1990 NZ Trotting Stakes.
Yankee One, who should derive much from his experience on Saturday, will have a freshener.
"I will give him a week in the paddock and take it from there," Wilson said.
Isibayeva provided owners Bruce Stirling, of Clydevale and Jimmy Gin, of Oamaru, with their fourth individual winner for the season when she led for most of the way.
The same owners have also won with Elmer Fudd (twice), Silver Ranger and Blackleugh since August 1.
Isibayeva is trained by Laurence Hanrahan at Waterford.
The others are in the Branxholme stable of Kirk Larsen.
Ringo Star, who was bred by Stirling and sold privately, won at Wanganui yesterday for Foxton trainer Peter Scaife.
The Stirling-bred Touch Of Silver has won two of his four starts for the Mark Purdon-Grant Payne stable this season.
Touch Of Silver, a half-brother by Mach Three to Silver Ranger, was reared alongside Elmer Fudd and Blackleugh, the trio being foaled in 2006.
