Sunday had not started well for the Dobbs family.
An illness in the family was followed by trainer Lionel Dobbs having to find a new rider for Ya Dreamin Jonesy after jockey Lee Callaway was stood down from his engagements due to illness.
But the frowns were turned upside down when replacement jockey Jillian Morris ensured outsider Ya Dreamin Jonesy got the bob in on the line to beat Sadlers Rock in the $25,000 Queenstown Cup at Cromwell.
Dobbs took over the training of the 10yr-old from his father, Graham, prior to winning at Omakau in February.
The son of Pins had four more starts in the 2014-15 season, including a third in the Marlborough Cup, before Dobbs gave the gelding a spell.
''He's just getting back into it now. He's had a couple of starts, but he got a stone bruise a couple of weeks ago,'' he said.
''We got him back and ready for today and we'll take it one day at a time.''
Dobbs admitted to some nerves as the field rounded the home turn, with Ya Dreamin Jonesy taking on the swooping leader, Sadlers Rock.
''My heart was in my mouth all the way.''
Dobbs, who trains at the Orari racecourse in South Canterbury, said the old campaigner was a ''lovely horse'' to work with, and he would be back on the holiday racing circuit again this year to add to his 67 starts - and maybe an 11th or 12th win.
''We'll just keep going with him. He's getting on in years, so we've got to race him and make the best of it.''
The Queenstown Cup win takes Ya Dreamin Jonesy to a record of two wins and a second from three starts at Cromwell - the same record as Fantamo, who won the rating 65 1400m.
The 5yr-old continued her fine record at Cromwell with an all-the-way victory courtesy of a well-timed ride by Kevin Kalychurun.
The Alamosa mare stunned punters last year in the same race, paying $48.20.
This year was not quite as unexpected, but she was still at a double-figure quote of $12.80 despite her Riverton trainer, Kelvin Tyler, feeling confident enough to tip her to Otago Daily Times readers on Saturday.
''A good draw helped, but she had a soft lead and no-one took her on,'' Tyler said.
''She likes it out in front.''
Tyler races Fantamo with the Dalliance Partnership, managed by Otago Racing Club events and marketing manager Charlotte Neilson.
The meeting was put back one race after an issue with the electronic scales used to weigh out jockeys.
A battery pack had not been returned after the scales had been sent away for recalibration.
A replacement set of scales were found in time for race 1 to be run at 1.05pm.
