After being out of the game for almost three years to the day, Australian trainer David Joice returned a winner on Tuesday at Grafton as classy mare Zac Attack proved a touch too good in race two.

Formerly based on the Gold Coast, Joice saddled up his last runner at Canterbury on February 8, 2019, before taking a break from the sport.

In 2016, the trainer saddled up his first winner at Grafton, so it was fitting that he trained his first winner back at the Northern Rivers track.

Starting as a +120 favourite in an Open Handicap over 1181m, Zac Attack stretched the head out at the right time to defeat Andy.

After jumping cleanly from barrier three, the daughter of I Am Invincible was eased back to the tail of the field and had her run timed to perfection by jockey Matthew McGuren.

“That was good – really happy with that,” Joice told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

“We just wanted her to find the line.

“Matty rode her a treat, and I was really happy with the way she finished off.”

Zac Attack is owned by Emmanuel Bloodstock, who own a number of horses in that region, with Joice taking over from Edward O'Rourke as the exclusive trainer.

The winning trainer said that the partnership was started back up out of the blue.

“I was freshened up and it was a random meeting of myself and the owner of all the horses that got me back into it,” Joice said.

“There was nothing in the plans; I was quite happy doing what I was doing.

“We had a meeting – I've worked with the owner before – and it was great to get back together with him and start the business.”

Zac Attack has now won six of her 20 starts and placed on a further four occasions, so black-type will be her next goal.

Joice said that they breed all of their own horses, so a black-type placing for the quality mare would be a huge benefit for her broodmare value down the track.

“We breed all of our own at Sutton Park where we train,” he said.

“Probably the goal for her now is to try and sneak a bit of black-type somewhere.

“Throw her in some black-type races and see if we can get that for the value of the family and future progeny.”

Zac Attack won by an official margin of 0.45 lengths, with a further 2.75 lengths back to the third horse.