The stayer Mourinho was a surprise first-up winner. He began smartly and travelled particularly well in third place on the rails. He stuck to the inside and got a rails run nearing the home turn, grabbed a break on straightening and although drifting out a little in the latter stages, fought back for a good short neck win. He then survived a protest from the runner-up. It Is Written was smartly away, settled in fourth place, one out and one back before moving up three deep approaching the home turn. He challenged strongly at the 100m and fought gamely for second, failing in a protest against the winner for interference in the closing stages. Favourite Dissident was wide early and then eased to settle in fifth place, one off the rails. He moved up (deep) at the 600m but was under riding nearing the home turn. He kept responding in the straight, without looking a winning chance, for a sound first-up (1.5 lengths) third. Smokin’ Joey was last in the eight-horse field to the 600m. He moved up (wide out) under pressure at the home turn and then battled on quite well for a sound (1.7 lengths) fourth at this first run since racing in Perth in early December.