In a surprise result, the Bjorn Baker-trained gelding Samadoubt scored a good first-up at odds of $31. After beginning smartly, he went to the front, set a reasonable tempo (first 800m 47.34) before Tim Clark lifted the pace from the 600m. He gained a good break on turning for home and then fought back to win well, sprinting home in a quick 33.71 (last 600m). Happy Clapper had a nice run in fourth place before moving up well at the 300m. He then kept battling on well in the sprint home for second in a good first-up effort. Invincible Gem raced in fifth place on the rails, eased into clear running nearing the 200m and she then ran on really well for third. The favourite Avilius raced back in second-last place in the ten-horse field and maintained a solid finishing effort in the sprint home for fourth, beaten less than a length, in a very good first-up effort over a distance short of his best. Kings Will Dream raced in sixth place and fought on nicely in the straight for (1.7 lengths) fifth in a promising effort at his first run since going amiss in last year's W S Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m).