IF courage ends up being the key ingredient to winning the Division Three J.G. Nelson Cup final for grade five sprinters then Rory Mac has an edge on his rivals.
Rory Mac led from box one but he was pressured by outsider Lapland all the way down the back stretch and turning for home Lapland led by a length.
But just when Lapland was being declared the winner Rory Mac found something extra and regained the lead in the shadows of the post.
Rory Mac ($1.50 fav) scored by almost a length from Lapland with the well backed Katakai ($3.85) a closing third.
The Sonia Martin-trained dog has long been regarded as one of the state’s brightest prospects with his record of nine wins and eight minor placings from 26 starts testament to his ability.
Veteran trainer Keith Nichols will be represented in the final by Tricky Tails that scored an emphatic win in his heat.
Tricky Tails made the most of the inside box to lead and once he hit the back stretch he powered clear to win convincingly from Howzat Lizzie and Kialdu Scarlet.
The winner stopped the clock at 29.85 which was the quickest of the four heat winners.
Patrick Ryan’s smart sprinter Lemon Sunrise made her way into the Division Three final with a runaway win in an action-packed heat that was marred by a fall.
Antwerpen, Wynburn Arrow and Frank Behave all came to grief before the first turn but all appeared to emerge unscathed.
Lemon Sunrise cleared out and hit the line with over 20 lengths to spare over Princess Zara and Cyndiana Miss with the winner covering the 515 metres in 29.92.
Outsider Arnhem Villain caused a boil over in the last of four division three heats when he toughed it out to defeat Triple Century in a head-bobbing finish after they matched motors for the last 300 metres of the race.
Triple Century held sway everywhere bar at the post.
The long odds-on favourite Miss Stylist ($1.10) fell halfway to the first turn.
PUNTERS took a hiding at the meeting with multiple odds-on favourites going down in heats of all divisions of the J. G. Nelson Cup series,
The division two heats for grade four chasers began poorly for punters when Mavista Falls ($10.80) led throughout to defeat the odds-on favourite Mandy Charm ($1.85).
Mavista Falls began brilliantly from box five to lead with Hellyeah Evan second when they left the first turn with the favourite settled third.
Mavista Falls from the Anthony Bullock kennel had enough in reserve to withstand a late charge from Mandy Charm with Hellyeah Evan third.
Bullock’s underrated bitch Howzat Patsy proved too strong for the opposition in her heat to score an all-the-way win at the lucrative price of $10.
Howzat Patsy flew the lids wearing the black vest and had the rail at the first turn.
She sailed down the back stretch with a commanding lead and while Local View made a race of it over the concluding stages the end result was never in doubt.
Bullock ended the night with a treble courtesy of Mason Pines scoring an all-the-way win in his division two heat.
Mason Pines began well from box five as did Kiruna (8) and the well-backed Glenrea Target (1).
But when Mason Pines held the rail and skipped three lengths clear the end result was never in doubt.