Bullock, who replaced Mitchell Bell who could not ride at the meeting, pulled out before the turn to make his run but was surprised with the way he responded.

“He got to the lead quicker than I anticipated,” Bullock said.

“That was a well-deserved win.

“The horse has been consistent leading up to this.”

Kokopu raced right away in the straight to win by two and a half lengths from Talisa.

It was a similar story when Adrian Layt picked up a late ride on the Todd Rawiller-trained Cinderconi, which won the Two Rivers Wines Three-Year-Old Maiden (1250m). 

The grey, making her debut, was to have been ridden by Matthew McGillivray but he had a fall during track work at Warwick Farm that morning.

Cinderconi went into the race on the back of two unplaced trials and was ignored in betting, starting at $26. 

“I thought she was a good chance,” Rawiller said.

“They were two good trials and she is a progressive filly, a very professional in everything she does.

“There is a lot of upside to her but we have no special plans.

“We will get her home and see and how she pulls up.

“Adrian’s ride was a beauty.

“He had approached us quite a few times looking for rides but I had nothing for him.

“However, I was able to put him on this time and he rode her a treat.”

Cinderconi is raced by a large syndicate made up mainly of women.

“Kate Niverson owns her and did not want to lose her so leases her to the syndicate,” Rawiller said.