A move to Robert Smerdon’s Ballarat stable has turned around the five-year-old’s outlook.

Rollerball ($3 favourite) reinforced this with a staying-type win in the Porter Plant Three-Year-Old Maiden, 1600m, in Ballarat yesterday.

He finished on from back in the field to get the money from Heaven’s Riches ($14), with Crystalised ($5) also running on to get third.

Simon Morrish, who oversees Smerdon’s Dowling Forest training base, said Rollerball had been a “non-eater” while at Aquanita Racing’s Caulfield headquarters. He said all this turned around for the then unraced son of O’Reilly with a relocation to the country environment.

Rollerball has now raced twice, with a first-up fourth at Dowling Forest on December 28 followed by yesterday’s effort. He completed a running double for Smerdon, who also scored with debutant High Destiny ($3) in the Mitty’s Maiden, 1000m.

Mark Zahra was aboard each of the Smerdon winners.

While the day began well for Zahra, he was unable to fulfil his book of rides after reporting to stewards he was feeling unwell. The Mt Macedon team of Robert Hickmott also landed a double in back-to-back races.

Newell ($2.40 favourite) led all the way on debut in the Tracy The Placement People Maiden, 1600m, and Infuse ($2.70 favourite) swept to the lead with 400m after sitting on the pace in the Sportsbet.com.au 0-58 Handicap, 1600m.

A five-year-old Newell continues the great association owner Lloyd Williams has had with progeny of champion sire Zabeel. Jockey Steven King said Newell would be better for the experience.

Apprentice jockey Daniel Stackhouse was another to land a double on the twilight card.

He was aboard Attivita ($9) in the Rising Stars 0-68 Handicap, 1400m, and Phantom Brew($ favourite) in the Dowling Forest Precinct 0-72 Handicap, 1600m. Damien Oliver had a mixed day. On his second ride back on the saddle after hip surgery, Oliver was reprimanded for not being able to make the weight on Phantom Brew.

It proved costly with the Colin Little-trained four-year-old winning.

Oliver did make amends in the last on the eight-race twilight program by winning on Triple Tease ($5).