Sent out the $2.60 favourite, the gelding trailed the leader Maffioso and pulled hard mid-race.

Victoria Derby winner Tanabi Bromac sprinted to the leaders in the home straight and looked set for victory while Greg Kelly looked to be to far back to keep his unbeaten record intact.

But under strong driving from Bruce Harpley the favourite sprouted wings along the rails and hit the line a short half-head clear of the fast-finishing Bad Cat with Tanabi Bromac only a half-head astern.

Greg Kelly’s trainer Bernard Kelly, who has been dabbling in harness racing for over 40 years, conceded the gelding as “a freak”.

“You only dream of getting one like this hose,” Kelly said.

“The bonus is we bred him and that makes it even more special.”

“He’s already taken us on a terrific ride and who knows where it will end,” he said.

Greg Kelly (Presidential Ball-Miss Paula) won all of his six starts last season and now has two from two this time in for stake earnings of $264,000.

The horse is named after the trainer’s son Greg Kelly, who is a rice farmer in the small town of Coleambally, situated on the Kidman Highway south of Griffith and has a population of only 400.

There was some conjecture as to whether Greg Kelly would be fit enough to win first up against arguably the best field of three-year-olds assembled this season.

“There is always a little bit of doubt in your mind when your horse is going into a race like this with just one run under his belt but he has been in work a while and this is the race we aimed at.”

“It was close but when you win the margin doesn’t mater,” he said.

Greg Kelly is out of Miss Paula, a mare that has been a great producer for the Kelly family.

Miss Paula has produced six foals to race since 1996 and all have won.

Her first foal, Paula Kelly, won four races and placed eight times from 24 starts before being retired through injury.

Lorna Kelly, a filly by Walton Hanover won 12 and placed 17 times from 51 outings and she is being tried at stud with her second foal a striking yearling by Jennas Beach Boy.

But Miss Paula’s best are Albert Kelly, McRaes Mate and Greg Kelly.

Albert Kelly amassed stakes of $316,000 with some of his wins including a Queensland Derby, Vicbred Super series 3YO final and he won a heat and semi-final of the Breeders Crown series before finishing second to Te Kanarama in the final.

McRaes Mate was brilliant at two winning four from seven and was second to Divisive in the Breeders Crown final.

He was as good at three and remains competitive in Western Australia.

But Greg Kelly could be the one to go all the way according to his trainer.

“I’ve had some very god horses over the years including two of Greg Kelly’s half-brothers Albert Kelly and McRae’s Mate but I think he (Greg Kelly) could be the best,” he said.

This year’s top three-year-olds shape as the nation’s Grand Circuit performers of the future and it wouldn’t surprise if most of the three-year-olds that contested Sunday night’s Australian Derby are battling it out in an inter Dominion in two years time.

Kelly said Greg Kelly would have his next start in either the NSW or WA.

“We’ll either go to WA or NSW but I won’t make my mind up for at least a week,” Kelly said.

Peter Staples