Crook made a mockery of the barrier draw which handed his Aces N Sevens four-year-old a tough task from the extreme outside of the second row.

The Cowra trainer-driver then wheeled Druids Ace, almost friendless at $19.90 in the betting ring, around the outside with 1400m to go to sit outside comfortable leader Exceptional Circus.

The pair then went stride for stride in the final lap during a 29.1s final quarter with Druids Ace lunging better for the line to win by just over a metre.

He was having his first competitive start back from a spell and will now prepare for the $8,000 final at Parkes on April 16.

“Once he got outside the leader, I just thought if he can hang on and run second he’ll make the final,” Crook said.

“But he’s tough, he just keep’s coming. That’s while he’ll make a horse, he’s just still learning all about it.

“We just gave him a blow and he has come back bigger and stronger and hopefully he is clued to what racing is all about.”

John Downey’s Rosewood Life started a $1.80 favourite, but shifted back to the pegs despite showing early gate speed.

That move, along with the reluctance of Headline Hero to push forward, paved the way for Druids Ace, part owned by Steve Pile, to figure prominently at the finish according to Crook.

He said the gelding’s first career win will hold him in good stead for the final.

“He doesn’t have a lot of gate speed. But as I said, he’s only had two trials back and that will top him off nicely.

“If he can draw three or four he’ll be probably be outside the leader again, but hopefully he won’t have to circle from last to get there.”

And how much of an advantage did the home track prove?

“I reckon it helps when you’re driving them,” Crook said.

Cowra’s a good track, but it’s definitely a front-runner’s track.

“If you’re not in the first three or four at the turn you can’t make it and it’s way downhill and hard to catch them in the straight.”

Druids Ace’s win was the slowest of the three heats at Cowra registering a 2:02.9 mile rate.

Ian Butt’s Perfect Sweetart and Mat Rue’s Nullify were slightly quicker in their victories.

It proved to be a fantastic day for the Crook clan with Deehan steering What Are You Doing to an impressive win in the Peppertree Farm Two-Year-Old Pace (1700m) while All In Aces, a half-brother to Druids Ace, also qualified for the Jack Honan final with an eye-catching second in the opening heat.