Nearly three years and 30 starts after his previous win in the Listed Albury Cup, crowd favourite Tom Melbourne (IRE) was back in the winner's circle following a dominant performance in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Australia Day.
Completing a wonderful return to the saddle by Blake Shinn, the Chris Waller-trained gelding received the run of the race while his more fancied stablemate Endless Drama missed the start badly and was never in contention.
Coming with a well-timed run, Tom Melbourne defeated Flow (Street Cry) by two and a half lengths with Tangled (Snitzel) back in third. (photos Steve Hart ).
Often criticised for his will to win, Tom Melbourne has banked over a million dollars between wins with Group 1 placings in the Cantala Stakes, Railway Stakes and Epsom Handicap.
"I think I have already received more text messages from him winning today than when we win a Group 1, stable repetitive Charlie Duckworth said.
"It's good that he has finally done it and proves he has a willingness to win. More times than not it's pure luck and the run of the race Hopefully he can get some confidence and they can all vote for him in the All Star Mile."
Shinn said it was great to be back in the saddle after five months on the sidelines due to a neck injury.
"How good was that!" Shinn gushed.
"To win on Tom and break a three-year drought. To come back and ride at 55kgs and get on Tom Melbourne who I have had a bit of affinity with, it's a great thrill and very satisfying.
"How devastating was he? He ambled up at the 300 metres and attacked the line and put the race to bed pretty quickly.
"He was really calm and relaxed and in a great frame of mind and he raced that way."
A 5,000-pound Tattersalls yearling, Tom Melbourne (IRE) advances his record to 6 wins, 11 seconds and 2 thirds from 38 starts with earnings of $1,248,148.
The 8yo gelding scored a facile win at his only start on the all-weather at Dundalk, in Ireland before being purchased by Simon O'Donnell and Terry Henderson's OTI Racing and placed with Lee and Anthony Freedman before being switched to Chris Waller in August 2017.
He is by the former Coolmore shuttler, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero, Dylan Thomas (Danehill) out of the winning Spinning World mare Roshanak a half-sister to 2013 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente (Monsun).
This is, of course, the famous Ballymacoll Stud family of the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks winner Hellenic (Darshaan) the dam of Group 1 winners Islington, Greek Dance and Mountain High.
OTI went to the Ballymacoll dispersal in November 2017 where they paid 100,000 guineas for the Redoute's Choice filly Arizona Belle (Ire) who is a half-sister to Fiorente and Roshanak.
Arizona Belle was exported to Australia last year and she was covered by Pierro.
