A DEEL OF HUMOUR showed a ton of guts to score first-up at Ballina on Friday. 

Given a lovely steer by Anthony Allen, the mare gradually wore down the leader in the Benchmark 74 Handicap to score her fifth career win by the narrowest of margins. 

Despite being at her best over further ground, the daughter of Dundeel showed enough dash at the mile to claim her second win from four first-up runs. 

Michael was confident the 6YO had returned from her summer spell in great order, and the proof was in the pudding as A DEEL OF HUMOUR carried her earnings to $117,930.

“I said to Ant before the race that I thought she had come back better, and it was great to get another win on the board for her owners,” he said. 

“They’ve backed me the whole time, so it’s nice to repay the faith they’ve shown. It’s great to get a confidence-boosting win into the mare at the start of her prep, and we can build from here. She had to do it the hard way, but she was very well weighted and that probably made the difference in the end.

“She trialled well and we had entered her in a few races before today, but she kept drawing wide. Then when I saw the depth of the field and the weight she would carry, I thought this would be a good option for her and thankfully that’s how it worked out.”

Many congratulations to Evan and Joan at Dovedeen.