At the end of the Blamey Tears Royal ($6-$9) had scored a one and a half length win over the Nigel Blackiston trained Weasel Will ($10-$13). The well backed Andrew Findlay mount Consular ($17-$10) was a half head away in third place.

Peter Mertens had the winner positioned midfield before making his move at the point of the home turn and from then on the gelding always looked the winner.

Despite the win the gelding could miss the race connections have their eye on in Sydney, the Group One Doncaster Handicap at Royal Randwick.

It is understood his current weight, which has already been allotted for the rich 1600 metre race, would be a kilogram and a half too light to gain a run.

Tears Royal's owners are hoping the NSW TRB's chief handicapper Mark Webbey penalises the gelding after his second straight stakes race success. Today's Group Two race is sure to give Webbey plenty to think about, in his much talked about role.

Despite it being a seemingly armchair ride for Peter Mertens there were some early anxious moments for the local hoop.

"I got a bit further back than I had originally planned," Mertens said while unsaddling. "But I guess they were going pretty hard so it didn't actually turn out too bad."

"He did a good job as we happened to hit the front pretty early," he reported. "It was good as when I asked for him he delivered."

"It was a fantastic win," Mertens summed up.

Tears Royal's trainer Grant Dalziel was again all smiles after the win of his day to day proposition.

"He's very straight in front," Dalziel said. "We have special shoes made just for him which have been levelled across at the front."

Best known for his early experiences as a horse breaker, Dalziel is being regarded as one of the most astute trainers in Victoria.

His ability to prepare Tears Royal to win three of his past five starts at stakes level enhances the lofty opinion held by many people in the industry.

A son of Royal Academy, Tears Royal is now the winner of nine of his 29 starts and his stakes money has now zoomed to $347,700.

Nigel Blackiston, the trainer of Weasel Will, was delighted with the run of his gelding. After racing in eleventh place throughout, the mile specialist made strong late ground to grab second place.

The three highly fancied Misters all disappointed.

Mr. Magoo, who was touted as a lightweight Doncaster hope by his trainer James Riley, could managed to finish only eleventh, some 6.2 lengths from the winner.

The Colin Alderson trained Mr. Casanova fared only marginally better in ninth place - 4.6 lengths from Tears Royal.

The topweight, and former Group One winner, Mr. Murphy failed to beat a runner home in the field of sixteen after leading for the first 1200 metres of the event. At the post he was beaten a touch more than 14 lengths.

PICS - Quentin Lang.

Sir Thomas BLAMEY
In the first World War, Sir Thomas was Chief of Staff to Lt. General Sir John Monash, Commander of the Australian Corps in France. In the second World War he was successively Commander of the 6th Australian Division, 1st Australian Corps, AIF Middle East, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Middle East, Commander-in-Chief Australian Military Forces and Commander Allied Land Forces South-West Pacific Area. He was promoted to Field Marshall in 1950, and is the only Australian to ever have reached this rank. Sir Thomas Blamey was a member of the Committee of the Victoria Racing Club from 1947 until his death in 1951.

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