His trainer believes Volpe is essentially a middle-distance horse but the four-year-old has shown plenty of dash to win the TAB Highway race at Rosehill.

And Danny Williams is effusive in his praise of Jean Van Overmeire's ride on Volpe ($12) in Saturday's 1200m race for country-trained horses.

The apprentice had to extricate Volpe from a pocket late but when the gelding sensed the gap, he powered through and hit the line 1-1/4 lengths ahead of Rugenbrau ($7), with another three-quarters of a length to Shelly Beach Road ($17).

"Jean rode him fantastic," Williams said.

"He didn't look like he'd get through for a while but when the gap came he went for it.

"This horse is crying out for 2000 metres but we haven't been able to get him there yet."

Volpe has won three races for the Goulburn trainer since being transferred from the Hawkes Racing partnership at Rosehill.

"He came to us a very fit horse and went well over 1000 metres at his first start for us," Williams said.

"He has a lot of talent."

Saturday was the last time horses from Canberra could contest the Highway races for country-trained horses, with the area now classed as provincial.

The Canberra club has introduced its own series of races with a $10,000 bonus if a local horse wins and although Williams will be eligible to compete in both, his sympathies are with the trainers in the nation's capital.

"It's a good incentive by the club but I think the bonus should be more for the locals," he said.