A horse who didn't make the cut with owner Lloyd Williams went some way towards repaying the faith of his new trainer at Canberra on Sunday.

Niblick added his name to the growing list of winners sold by Williams when he claimed the Listed National Sprint (1400m) but there is still much more to be done as far as Albury trainer Brett Cavanough is concerned.

"I gave two hundred thousand dollars for him and he's got a third of that back today but I've got a bit of work to do yet," Cavanough said.

Among Williams's 2012 dispersal of horses who weren't up to Cups standard, Niblick eventually arrived at Cavanough's stable after a winless Perth campaign.

"I originally bought him for the owner to be a Stradbroke Handicap horse," Cavanough said.

"He might not get that far but there will be some nice races for him coming up."

With James McDonald in the saddle, Niblick ($7.50) rallied from the brink of defeat to beat Sydney sprinter Upshot ($4.20) by a nose with Canberra mare Glad You Called ($26) filling the minor placing, only a head further back.

Cavanough said Williams's private trainer Robert Hickmott deserved to be singled out as an architect of Niblick's return to form.

"I have spoken to Robert a few times about the horse and he said ' do this, do that' and it's all worked out today," the trainer said.