A race-to-race training and riding double to the Graeme Ballantyne-Takahide Ikenushi combination was the highlight at Northam this afternoon.

Cue The Sun was an upset winner in the WA Sandalwood Plantations Maiden (1600m) defeating Collecting and the odds-on favourite Good Answer.

The Gambade gelding dipped at the start to lose two or three lengths and was tailed back near last but came with a strong finishing burst on the outside of the track to edge out Collecting who was running home hard on the inside.

The early slow pace didn’t assist the chances of the favourite who was forced to make a move and was caught wide.  He did lift again over the concluding stages but couldn’t hold off the challenging runs of the first two placegetters.

Cue The Sun returned from a spell with a first-up tenth placing at Belmont Park on July 29 before improving with a close third to Wire Tapper a fortnight ago.

Today’s win breaks his maiden status and takes his record to one win and a third placing from 5 starts.

Shock The World made it back-to-back wins for Ballantyne and Ikenushi in the WA Farm Trees Maiden (1100m).

Again travelling from the rear of the field Shock The Value found the quickest way home down the outskirts of the track to win comfortably from Milton The Hilton and Gypsy Myth.

The Twining gelding had seven trials before making an impressive debut performance at Northam at fortnight ago when a close fifth to the smart Machamp.

He returned for astute punters $15.10 and $3.00.

The favourite Daka Express was prominently placed throughout but never seriously challenged and finished unplaced.