Irish import State Of Rest has claimed the 2021 Cox Plate from Anamoe in a thrilling finish at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
The Joseph O'Brien-trained four-year-old got a peach of a ride from another Irishman in John Allen and managed to just hold off Craig Williams' mount.
Nine-time Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant finished third for Chris Waller and Damien Lane.
In the State Of Rest's first outing on Australian soil, the colt had to wait for a protest to be dismissed before being declared the winner.
Punters and connections faced a nervous 45-minute wait while Allen and Williams made their cases, and stewards pored over the replays.
Check out the vision below.
PROTEST: Anamoe (2nd) vs No.8 State Of Rest (1st).
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 23, 2021
WHAT DO YOU THINK? pic.twitter.com/dbMt5j3wVI
REVERSE ANGLE OF THE COX PLATE CLOSING STAGES.
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 23, 2021
THOUGHTS? pic.twitter.com/T9wTan4ARb
State Of Rest jumped around $7.50 with the bookies, while Anamoe and Verry Elleegant traded favouritism in the late stages, floating between $3-$3.50.
More to come.