Toowoomba trainer John Thomas can vouch for the healing powers of winning a horse race after his mare Décor Deels swept to a thrilling win at Ipswich racetrack.  

With in vogue apprentice Zac Lloyd riding confidently, Décor Deels ($9) won the Congrats James Orman Premiership Jockey Handicap (2210m).

Runner-up Chief Command ($12) was three quarters of a length behind the winner, three lengths ahead of third-placed Astral Knight ($4).

Thomas had to turn down a drink in the committee bar after the race because he was on painkillers for a sore back.

“I fell off a hay trailer about a month ago. I’ve been doing it a bit tough,” Thomas said.

“That (win) got rid of a bit of pain.”

The trainer said Décor Deels, a six-year-old mare by Dundeel, had been the victim of bad luck in her races and just needed that to turn around for her to win on Wednesday.

“She should have won [last start] at Beaudesert. She was just blocked for a run,” he said.

“It’s a little short straight and she didn’t have enough time. She should have won.

“[We were] very confident [today]. We’re back.

“She’s had plenty of good runs but has been unlucky. She’s only tiny and her form doesn’t read well. Like the other day [at Beaudesert] it says she finished seventh but she was only beaten 2.6 lengths.

“She’s much better than what she’s shown.”

Coming back into the saddling enclosure, Décor Deels preferred to parallel park outside the fourth-placegetter’s stall than to go into the winner’s stall.

It took some gentle persuasion from Lloyd to encourage her to take her rightful place.

“She’s not immature; she’s just got a funny way about her and she’s a little tiny ugly mare,” Thomas said with clear affection.

“That’s just her. She’s very good.

“I think at some stage one day she’ll go to a midweek in Brisbane over a bit of distance but probably now we’ll give her a bit of an ease up and prepare her for something over the summer.”