Ashburton trainer Ben Waldron has been training for 13 seasons, but he had never cracked a win on his own account at Forbury Park until last night.
Waldron did have a win to his name courtesy of Suave Century in August 1999 when he was training in partnership with Andrew McPherson, but he has only campaigned horses in Dunedin once or twice a season since.
Waldron brought four horses on the long journey south yesterday and broke his solo Dunedin duck when Even Flo won after a five-month break in the c1 2200m pace.
The Royal Mattjesty mare is not short of speed, but Waldron had to back off the 4yr-old after she picked up a minor illness late last year.
''She had shown a fair bit early on, but then she got a bit crook,'' Waldron said.
''When it's in the spring in Canterbury and you're not 100%, you start to get beaten up.''
So Waldron gave her some time off after she finished fourth at her home track on Boxing Day and she came into last night's assignment with a second at the trials on May 6 under her belt.
Waldron paid credit to Neil Timms, of Riversdale, who owns Even Flo and has also raced horses such as Van Washing Man out of Waldron's stable.
''It's good for Neil. He's a good supporter of the barn and he deserves his success.''
A start closer to home could be on the cards for Even Flo, who will now be graded at c2.
''We were looking at Ashburton on Queen's Birthday weekend, or possibly up to Nelson [on June 6]. We'll see on that one.''
