TSAIKOS LANDS EARLY VICTORY

It didn't take long for 2019 Burrumbeet Cup-winning jockey Stan Tsaikos to make an impact on the 2020 raceday.

Tsaikos partnered Andrew Campbell-trained Feel The Beat to a decisive victory in the opening event of the day, the Eureka Concrete Maiden Plate (1800m).

The horse's win was its first at career start number 11.

FARLEY, CORSTENS COMBINE

Neil Farley produced a strong front-running ride to secure victory in the TB White and Sons Maiden Plate (1350m) with Fort Knox.

Trained by Leon and Troy Corstens, the four-year-old galloper backed up a third placing at Bendigo on December 15 to score by nearly three lengths on the line.

Fonteinbolt (Bob Beecroft/Alana Kelly) was second with Russian Fighter (Dan O'Sullivan/Will Price) third.

KELLY GETS THAT WINNING FEELING

Young Ballarat jockey Alana Kelly won a race at Burrumbeet in 2019 and was back in the winner's circle on New Year's Day.

Kelly partnered George Osborne's Uptown Lilly to victory in the Mt Misery Sand and Soil BM64 Handicap (1350m).

She took her time to find the lead, but after eventually crossing over to the front, was never headed on the way to a three-and-a-half length triumph.

Hard Up (Mitch Freedman/Will Price) was second and Gambeson (Jamie Edwards/Rose Pearson) third.

AND IT'S KELLY AGAIN!

Alana Kelly scored a race-to-race double when Zai Bu Zai produced a brilliant win in the McKinnon Seed Cleaning BM52 Handicap (1350m).

Trainer Paul Boag made the trip up from Meeniyan with the eight-year-old and he didn't disappoint, racing clear to prevail over Serveur (Logan McGill/Will Price) and Cosmic Scoop (Marcus Fahler/Rose Pearson).

POTTER, PAYNE COMBINE WITH PROJECT MANHATTAN

Ballarat trainer Wendy Potter and jockey Sam Payne took out the Bet365 Protest Promise Maiden Plate (1000m) with first-starter Project Manhattan.

It was a special win for Potter, who has had to work hard with the Atomic gelding, which was originally bred as a polocrosse horse.

His feisty nature eventually led him to a career on the racetrack, which began in winning fashion on New Year's Day.

"I honestly thought he would need this run, but obviously the two trials he has had has held him in good stead," Potter said.

"Because he was naughty, he came to me and I've had him 13 months nearly.

"And it just took a long time to get him right."

The horse only snuck home by a very narrow margin to the fast-finishing Melbourne Hero (John Rowe/Will Price) and Cimota (Anthony Dudley/Stan Tsaikos).

BULL ON THE BOARD!

Young Snake Valley-based jockey Tatum Bull scored just her third career winner aboard La Maestra in the Grow Better Garden Products BM52 Handicap (1000m).

Bull, who rode a double at Nhill on Boxing Day, combined with trainer Mick Sell as the horse scored a dominant front-running triumph.

La Maestra beat runner-up Boomshake The Room (Paul Banks/Alana Kelly) and third-placed Elusive Shine (Nicole Dickson/Yoko Ota).

FREEDMAN, LORENSINI TAKE THE CUP WITH NOT TO KNOW

Trainer Mitch Freedman and jockey Jarrod Lorensini combined to win the Burrumbeet Cup with Not To Know.

The horse beat Prima (Jason Bridgman/Rose Pearson) and Chattering (Anne Blackburn/Alana Kelly).

The victory was the first for both trainer and jockey and was the horse's seventh in a 38-start career.

"He's the horse that's sort of suited to these tight, turning tracks and country cups suit him perfectly. He's got down in the ratings a little bit over the last few runs, off the back of a Manangatang Cup win, and he come here today in great order and was given a good ride and things just worked out well for him," Freedman said.

"It was good to get the Burrumbeet Cup on the board."