Gayna Williams moves her training operation back to Bathurst, scores victory in Country Championships

Healing Hands flew home in style to take out the race just a matter of weeks after Williams brought her training operation from Mudgee to Bathurst.

Williams led home a Bathurst lockout of the top seven positions in the process.

It's hopefully the start of another successful period of training for Williams in the city.

There are a couple of factors which led to Williams coming back south, but number one on the list was family.

"It was a change of environment, plus our daughter Lauren is getting married in April and we wanted to be able to see her and her fiancee Matt a little more," she said.

"We got a contact with the club since August. It's been an easy switch for the horses but not so much for us with the house, but the horses always come first."

Healing Hands was superb in a qualifier victory that has moved him into an $11 chance in early betting for the $500,000 final at Royal Randwick.

Fellow Bathurst trainer Dean Mirfin also qualified with runner-up Electrified.

"We're hoping he'll measure up but he's still very new," Williams said.

"It certainly won't be an easy race, of course, but winning the heat was great and anything after that will be a bonus."

Williams' said there were mixed feelings from the win after her recent provincial winner El Mo was scratched due to injury.

"It was bittersweet with El Mo, and he was unlucky last year as well," she said.

"I felt so much for June Baker, who owns El Mo, and she's such a wonderful and understanding lady. She rang me the night before and wished us good luck with Healing Hands. She's such a great sport.

"We'll try our best to get him to the wild card at Muswellbrook. He's a 50-50 chance at the moment."

The wild card race will be held on March 22 with the Royal Randwick final to follow on April 4.