Riff Rocket held on by the thinnest of margins to win the Victoria Derby at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday afternoon.
Carrying 57kg, Riff Rocket is trained by the legendary Chris Waller and was ridden by James McDonald.
Justifying his label as the favourite, Riff Rocket just nosed Apulia, who finished in second, with Sunsets grabbing third.
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In an extremely tight battle that required a photo finish to determine the winner, McDonald can be seen pushing the head of his horse, Riff Rocket, down to ensure he hit the line first.
"It's just head down, bum up," MacDonald told Network 10.
"It was just close … you're so far apart and it's really hard to judge whether you've got it.
"So, it was great."
Riff Rocket began his assault at the 300m mark, going down the middle of the track to chase down Sunsets.
The race looked run and won with 100 metres to go, before a late surge along the inside from Apulia under the urging of jockey Mark Zahra saw the horses go to the line almost in unison, with $2.15 favourite Riff Rocket prevailing in the tightest of photo finishes.
Victoria Derby final result
1. RIFF ROCKET
2. APULIA
3. SUNSETS
4. KOSGEI
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