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Bathurst trainer Gayna Williams landed the first leg of what she hopes will be a lucrative north coast double when Instant Success recorded a game front running win in the Bowraville Cup on Sunday

It took Williams more than 11 hours to get to the Bowraville track near Macksville from her Bathurst stable with Instant Success.

Instant Success will not be making the return trip to Bathurst until after the Maclean Cup on the final day of the Grafton carnival on Sunday week.

Williams said she did her homework before deciding to start Instant Success on the tight circle track at Bowraville.

She was aware the track would suit a strong front runner like Instant Success and then went after a jockey with a lot of experience on the track and settled on Marlon Dolendo.

"A bit of research, that's why I booked Marlon Dolendo,” Williams said.

Dolendo played his part as he rated Instant Success at a strong pace in front and was able to kick back and win after being challenged in the straight by Fiori.

“Instant Success is a nice horse, honest without being a world beater. He should win his share of races,” Williams said.

A Maclean Cup rival for Instant Success will be the Grafton-trained Innocenttassie following his impressive win at Armidale on July 1.

Trainer John Shelton said the five-year-old will start in the John Carlton Cup on the first day of the Grafton carnival on July 9 and then aim for the Maclean Cup on the final day.

“He's my main hope for the carnival,” Shelton said.

“He's a nice horse, a half brother to Sir Dan.”

Shelton's stable apprentice Adam Hyeronimus was impressed by his Innocenttassie's acceleration over the last 200m.

“He was bolting, running up their backsides. He was never going to be beaten,” Hyermonimus said.