Fittingly, Sydney's final stakes race of the season fell to champion trainer Chris Waller who set a new benchmark when Marenostro earned his maiden stakes success in the Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens.
Tracking the early speed set by Oxford Poet, Tye Angland had Marenostro in a striking position on the home turn.
He gradually wore down the game front-runner to win by half-length with a nose back to James Cummings' promising Ruling Dynasty in third.(photos Steve Hart).
Waller was not on hand to accept the congratulations as he was attending to his stricken import Tales Of Grimm who broke down at the top of the straight and had to be euthanised.
It was left to Waller's stable foreman Charlie Duckworth to front the press.
"He's very consistent 1400 to a mile and heavy, soft, good ground – it doesn't really matter for him he always tries hard," he said.
"He's been brilliant this preparation."
A bargain $20,000 purchase by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock, Marenostro advances his overall record to 10 wins, 3 seconds and 3 thirds from 29 starts with earnings of $455,550.
Bred and offered for sale by Dormello Park Stud, Marenostro is the 14th live foal of the grand producer Maybe Yes (Last Tycoon) whose previous foals include the Group 1 Auckland Gold Cup winner The Mighty Lions (Grosvenor) and the Group III winner and Group I placed Vaquera (High Chaparral).
A half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winners Press Statement and Pressday, Maybe Yes died in 2014.
Marenostro becomes the third stakes-winner for Dormello Stud's Redoute's Choice stallion Duelled.
