produced a Manikato-style run to win the Japan Cowra Cup on Sunday, in a photo-finish.

The eight year old gelding stunned his younger rivals with a performance that reminded punters of the champion horse of the eighties—the old warrior hitting the front 200 metres out, looking like he was about to be swamped by his younger rivals—but not letting one of them get past him.

Jockey Joe Galea was full of praise for a horse that he has a strong connection with.

“He has been a really good horse for me over the years and every time I get on him we click,” Galea said.

“You’ve got to give credit to Ken Parsons. The horse has always had bad legs and he does a great job to get him fit.

“Coming to the 400 I thought whatever beats him is going to be good.

“He only just lasted, but he’s getting older and his big heart got him home today.”

Gumnuts started well and was sitting third until the home turn, when he started his sprint.

Parsons was confident well before the home bend though.

“We wanted some speed on, we got it, and I thought he’d take a lot of beating,” Parsons said.

“He’s a tough old horse.

“At the 800 I was starting to feel confident because he was sitting third and traveling so well. By the 400 I thought he was almost home.”

Gumnuts held off a strong surge from Miss Alberta to win by a nose to give Parsons his first winner in the race.

“He’s had the three lead-up runs and he has needed them to get fit.

“He’s back on his home track now and he loves it.”

Despite some poor recent form, Galea was confident Gumnuts was primed for a big run and along with Parsons, went into the race knowing the horse was a big chance.

“Two starts back he won a nice race for me and last start he went to Sydney and young Blake Spriggs rode him and he pulled pretty hard so you could forget about that run.” Galea said.

“When I first talked to Kenny today he told me how happy he was with him, he was really relaxed coming to the gates and he ran

brilliantly.”