Trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith had his faith in Orange County rewarded when Damien Oliver took out his sixth Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes on the grey at Caulfield.Drawn awkwardly in barrier 14, Orange County was wide with a handful of horses behind him settling down before charging up six-deep rounding the home turn and racing clear to a 2-1/2 length win.Last year's winner Bon Hoffa ran on well from behind Orange County to finish second wide out on the track, a neck ahead of Turffontein.Mayfield-Smith

Trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith had his faith in Orange County rewarded when Damien Oliver took out his sixth Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes on the grey at Caulfield.

Drawn awkwardly in barrier 14, Orange County was wide with a handful of horses behind him settling down before charging up six-deep rounding the home turn and racing clear to a 2-1/2 length win.

Last year's winner Bon Hoffa ran on well from behind Orange County to finish second wide out on the track, a neck ahead of Turffontein.

Mayfield-Smith said he was confident Orange County would win, but was mindful of how luckless the horse had been in the past.

"We have had our problems with the horse but I never lost faith in him," Mayfield-Smith said.

"I was pretty confident it was going to be his day.

"He is very honest and it is good to see he has been vindicated with a victory like this."

Mayfield-Smith said farrier Mick Grogan had helped turn the horse around and get him to a point where he could perform at his top.

Mayfield-Smith has been a leading Melbourne trainer for more than a decade and Orange County gave him his first Group One win since Lyrical Bid scored an upset victory over Seachange in the 2006 Myer Classic during the Melbourne Cup carnival.

"I was due for a Group One," Mayfield-Smith said.

He couldn't have picked a better jockey to get the job done in the Rupert Clarke, given Oliver's outstanding record in the race over nearly 20 years.

In 1990 Submariner won the feature to give the champion jockey his first ever Group One win.

He followed with further success on Mannerism (1992), Poetic King (1994), Encosta De Lago (1996), Testa Rossa (1999), and Mr Murphy (2001).

"This race has been great for me and when I hit the line in front today it was a great feeling," said Oliver who has now won 81 Group One races.

He said the fast pace worked out well for Orange County who was able to launch a strong run from well back in the field.

"I probably got there a fraction sooner than I wanted to but the horse was going so well. It was a dominant win."