Muswellbrook trainer Jan Bowen celebrated her first stakes winner when Jest Crewsin' upstaged his more fancied rivals in the Listed Carrington Stakes at Randwick.Jest Crewsin' was sent out a $21 chance and produced a late rush down the outside to grab favourite Cardinal Virtue ($2.50) in the final stride to win by a head.Reigning NSW Country Horse of the Year Border Rebel ($4.40) carried 60kg and was also right there at the business end, finishing just a short half-head away third.Bowen knew Jes

Muswellbrook trainer Jan Bowen celebrated her first stakes winner when Jest Crewsin' upstaged his more fancied rivals in the Listed Carrington Stakes at Randwick.

Jest Crewsin' was sent out a $21 chance and produced a late rush down the outside to grab favourite Cardinal Virtue ($2.50) in the final stride to win by a head.

Reigning NSW Country Horse of the Year Border Rebel ($4.40) carried 60kg and was also right there at the business end, finishing just a short half-head away third.

Bowen knew Jest Crewsin' had the ability to win but said the gelding had been switching off mentally in recent outings which had proven frustrating.

The five-year-old was even ordered back to the barrier trials by stewards after his first-up run at Rosehill on December 4.

On that day the sprinter was reluctant to leave the mounting yard and then proved difficult to get around to the barriers and also to load into the gates.

"I've had to barrier trial him twice leading into this," Bowen said.

"I trialled him at Scone, he jacked up on the way around to the barriers and wouldn't budge.

"It's just something he got into his head.

"I took him to Newcastle (on December 21) to trial, he cantered straight around to the barriers and he won by 11 lengths."

Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, Jest Crewsin' settled back near last in the 1100m sprint as Electric Dreams ran along in front with Phenomenal Lass on her outside.

On straightening Cardinal Virtue moved up along the inside to hit the front and looked the likely winner before challengers emerged in the form of Border Rebel and then Jest Crewsin'.

Bowen, who has 12 horses in work, said the Listed Canterbury Classic (1100m) on January 14 was a likely next target.

Cardinal Virtue will also head that way and trainer David Payne said being on the inside section played against the favourite, who was backing up after his win at Randwick on Boxing Day.

Border Rebel may have been defeated in his first start since the Ramornie Handicap in July but his trainer Sue Grills was delighted with the gelding's performance.

"That was a super run under that weight," Grills said.

"It's a big ask in that sort of race when you are giving away so much weight. I thought at the 200-metre mark that he wasn't going to run a place but he just kept on fighting.

"He's back as good as ever."