Now trained by leading Wagga Wagga based horseman Greg McDermott, The Little Tacker defied his small stature to score a big win.

After showing great early pace out of the barriers, the son of Ideal Planet, then was able to idle up to the 300 metres mark when he was able to fight off the challenge of the Adelaide visitor Unrocel Saint and then the late charge from the local Phinrow.

Damien Oliver was aboard the game little chestnut five-year-old today, after it originally looked as though he would be racing against him earlier in the week.

"We rang to get Damien earlier in the week, but his manager said he had a ride in the race, but he suggested we use Craig Newitt instead," McDermott recalled of his initial conversation with jockey manager Bruce Clark, the man who manages both Oliver and Newitt.

"Then he (Clark) rang back and said Damien was available to ride him so we switched back to him again."

Ironically Newitt was then able to pick up the ride on the race favourite Unrocel Saint, who was the eventual third placegetter in the event.

McDermott said after the race that he had no grand plans for The Little Tacker.

"We’ll just poke around in similar kinds of races," McDermott said. "I’m sure there are some nice races around over the carnival period for him."

He added that the gelding would most probably be freshened up again before he races next.

"He is such a good horse first up and fresh," McDermott said of the gelding who boasts a record of two wins from three first up attempts.

Prior to today’s race the gelding had not started since finishing a close up sixth to Beamer at Canterbury on August 25. Before that run he finished a one length second to handy Hawkes performer Trenches at the same track.

PIC – Quentin Lang.

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