Zinjete Moki's stint with the powerful Kevin Myers stable got away to a flying start at Trentham where she successfully combined with Duffers Creek.
She gave a polished display aboard the six-year-old, who revelled in the Heavy 11 going to triumph in the IRT North Island Challenge Stakes.
"I'm prettystoked to get my first winner for Kevin," the 27-year-old said.
Moki has transferred south to the Wanganui trainer for the winter with the blessing of Pukekohe Park trainer Richard Collett, whose stable numbers have decreased with the onset of the wet tracks.
Still able to claim three kilos, Moki allowed Duffers Creek to stride to an early lead and he was travelling comfortably at the top of the straight.
"He was just cruising along and then I took a bit of a hold of him when he got keen," she said.
Duffers Creek responded when Moki asked him for a serious effort in the run home and they forged clear to win by a length and a quarter from Shezgorgeous and the favourite Madonna Mia.
"I gave him a couple behind the saddle to keep him honest," she said.
In the next race Moki's fellow apprentice Nivesh Teeluck also used his three kilo claim to good effect aboard the diminutive Lucy Liu to narrowly claim top honours in the In memory of Bill Wylie Premier.
Teeluck was able to get the best out of Lucy Liu in a tight finish to score by a head for the second win of the filly's six-start career.
