Ballina trainer Nathan Ensby completed the best week of his career when Partnership gave him his first metropolitan Saturday winner at Eagle Farm.

Ensby trains 19 horses and mainly concentrates on the NSW northern rivers racing but has gradually built up his team to city-class in recent months.

Partnership ($7) got up in the final few strides to beat Speaking Bad ($8) by a short head in the Suez Pro Skips Handicap (2200m).

“We had a winner at Grafton on Monday and one at Lismore on Tuesday so to get my first metropolitan winner completes a great week,” Ensby said.

The win was all the better because Partnership was ridden by Ensby's close friend in jockey Nori Masuda who rides most of the trainer's horses.

“I have been mates with Nori for years going back to the days we worked together in Ballina. I said when I got a trainer's licence he could ride them all,” Ensby said.

Masuda said Partnership had raced like a true stayer and had put in a big lunge on the line.