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Hawkesbury trainer Peter Green’s racing wheel is spinning in the right direction. The experienced horseman, a former successful harness racing devotee, began training thoroughbreds just over 12 months ago and broke through for his first provincial victory at Kembla Grange on Tuesday.

Green’s gelding Respun ($11), his first runner at the track, won the Class 1 Handicap (1400m) against his own sex. Given a nice run in the small field by jockey Jeff Penza, Respun was too strong for Griddlebone ($3.40) and Terwilliker ($6). The $1.80 favourite Aeecee Tianhu finished fourth of the five runners.

Green’s thoroughbred training career, with a small team which he would like to expand, is on an upward spiral. Prime Justice broke the 'ice' for him by scoring at the Bong Bong Cup picnic meeting last November, and then Respun gave him his first country success when he scored at Bathurst on January 22.

All that remains now is to keep the momentum going by clinching a city victory.

“If that’s how it goes, then I’d be happy to take that,” Green said. “But I haven’t really thought that far ahead with Respun. I’ll just let him work his way through the grades."

Both Prime Justice and Respun were purchased from Victoria by Green’s brother Clinton to help him kickstart his training career. Respun had been unplaced in 10 starts before joining Green’s stable, and it was quickly discovered he had a breathing problem.

The Hard Spun five-year-old had a tie back operation – and hasn’t looked back since returning to work. After second placings at Nowra and Queanbeyan, he broke through at Bathurst last month and repeated the dose, stepping up to provincial company on Tuesday.

“Respun had come on really win since his Bathurst win,” Green said. “While I thought Gai’s horse (the odds-on favorite) was the one to beat, I was confident our horse would go alright. It was terrific to win my first provincial race with my first starter at Kembla.”

View the full results with race replays for Kembla Grange here