mmg.com.au

It isn’t the most lucrative cup on the country cups circuit, but it will always hold a special place in the heart of Ardmona horsewoman Donna Castles.

Just a week after another Goulburn Valley trainer Glenn Freeman claimed the Albury Pacing Cup with warhorse pacer Baltic Ice, Castles also ventured over the border on Saturday to deprive the Riverina locals of a win in the Leeton Pacing Cup.

Castles drove Flash Of Freedom to a gutsy win to notch her first cup win as a reinswoman.

Flash Of Freedom’s win prompted trainer of the horse and Castles’ partner, Doc Wilson, to declare it was one of the eight-year-old entire’s best wins in his 12 victories to date.

‘‘He certainly went terrific and it was probably as good as he as ever gone,’’ Wilson said.

A noted standing start specialist, it was only Flash Of Freedom’s second win from the mobile start conditions.

Castles didn’t panic when caught outside the leader and the short-priced favourite, the Blake Jones-trained and driven In No Mans Land over the 2582m marathon on the saucer-sized Leeton track.

Even when headed by the favourite around the home turn by about a neck or so Flash Of Freedom was still able to kick back and prevail in a two-horse war down the home straight.

The third placegetter was nearly 14m away.

‘‘He always fights back if the other horse can’t quite cross him and he did that again on Saturday night,’’ a proud Wilson said.

Flash Of Freedom rated a creditable 1:59.9 for the testing trip and in keeping with other long-priced winners Castles has booted home since she took up driving 18 months ago the pacer was a $10 chance on the tote.

Castles’ last 10 drives on the hardy pacer, who has had 125 starts, have netted four wins.

And she will be looking for more cup glory on Sunday when Flash Of Freedom lines up in the $14000 Boort Pacing Cup.