Gary Saunders found the basically flat conditions to his liking in last Saturday’s Community Axis Handicap, attacking the race from the start to take out the event by over 2 minutes.
Run over a 5km bushland course at Haven, south of Horsham, runners had to negotiate several steep sided gullies along the way.
Running from the front mark, Saunders was never challenged, maintaining his speed to the finish and recording one of his fastest times for the year.
Behind him Nat Watson, Sharon Howden and David McAllistar were coming up behind to claim the minor placings.
With 400 metres to go, Sharon Howden and Susie Ellis were battling it out for second and third positions, with Howden just getting the better of Ellis this time.
Nathaniel Warren continued his great form of this season to again take out the fastest race time of 18 minutes 17 seconds. Susie Ellis was the fastest female in a time of 21 minutes 6 seconds.
Sisters Ebony and Somer Darnell scored a family double with Ebony taking out the junior event and Somer taking out the sub-junior event.