Scone trainer Scott Singleton was full of praise for Zac Lloyd after the classy hoop climbed from his sickbed to guide Ocean Tsunami to victory in last Saturday’s Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap (1600m) at Randwick. 
From barrier 11 in the 12-horse field, Lloyd was able to cross quickly and take up a prominent position, one off the fence. 
Once in the straight, Lloyd extracted his mount from a pocket and sooled her to the front. The $2.40 favourite, Bluish Hue, charged home late to go down by a half-head, with early leader Condone ($21) a half-neck further away in third. 
Ocean Tsunami ($3.60), a Kiwi-bred daughter of Ocean Park, improved her record to 11 starts for four wins, four seconds and $127,900.
“I don’t know how he did that from that barrier. It was a very sticky draw,” Singleton said. 
“He’s riding with so much confidence and she deserved a change of luck after having no luck last time (fifth in a Highway at Rosehill). It was painless to watch despite the narrow margin.” 
Lloyd revealed after the race that illness had him a doubtful starter until the morning of the meeting. 
“I didn’t think I was going to make it today. I was no good yesterday but luckily I’d improved enough this morning. 
“I’m not feeling great now but it’s good to get a winner for Scott and the connections.”
Again too tough
A cluey gear change by Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker was enough to get seven-year-old mare Let’s Go Again home in the 1200-metre Midway at Randwick.
Despite coming off a pair of seconds, at Warwick Farm and in the Legend of the South at Moruya, Let’s Go Again was unwanted in the betting ($18-$21) — perhaps because punters figured barrier 13 of 14 would not suit the front-runner.
As it transpired, Andrew Adkins sent the mare straight to the front and she led all the way to win by a length and a half from Mailata, with Beau Bandit a close-up third. 
“Kerry said the blinkers should smarten her up today and they did that,” Adkins said. 
“She’s a tough, honest mare who makes her own luck. She wins her races at the start. She’s so fast out of the barriers, as you saw today, that she just took control of the race. 
“She’s really tough and gritty. Kerry’s done a really good job with her. She’s just so honest. 
“She keeps trying … even after the line today, when she felt them coming, she wanted to go again. That’s the way she is.”
Regal romp
Bjorn Baker might have struck out with his city runners last Saturday but he got some consolation at Kembla Grange, where his three-year-old filly Regal couldn’t have been more impressive in winning the 1200-metre fillies-and-mares  maiden by seven lengths as $1.90 favourite under Amber Riddell.
A daughter of former dual Group 1-winning two-year-old King’s Legacy, Regal should pay to follow.
Keagan Latham and apprentice Leeshelle Small shared the riding honours at Kembla with a double apiece. Blaike McDougall rode a double to take the points at Albury the same day.
Victorian trainers dominated the six-race Balranald Cup card, with doubles to Wangaratta’s Andrew Dale and Swan Hill’s Con Kelly. Dale won the cup with Copperfield ($4.20), ridden by apprentice Cassidy Hill.
Saturday was also cup day at Harden, where picnics juggernaut Connie Greig won the feature with Pickaxe ($10), ridden by Leigh Taylor. Three jockeys rode winning doubles on the six-race program — Taylor, Emily Waters and Leandro Ribeiro.
Coming attractions
This Friday’s Wagga Wagga meeting features the $32,000 Stan Sadleir Stakes and the $30,000 Mountaineer Cup (2500m), a heat of the Wagga Stayers Series. 
That series appeared to some to be a risky venture, but I believe the Murrumbidgee Turf Club deserves to be congratulated on its success.
Other features across the weekend are Saturday’s Berrigan Cup (1600m) in the Riverina and Sunday’s benchmark 66 Greenwell Point Cup (1100m) at Nowra on the south coast.