New Zealand bay gelding Epizeel had the upset of the day at Southern Ag Race Day.
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It was a strong outing on a soggy track at Thoroughbred Park for Canberra trainer Gratz Vella. Ridden by veteran jockey Michael Heagney, Epizeel took out the opening 2000m Doughboy Downs Plate and the $13,200 prizemoney with the third-highest odds at $51.
Also from barrier four Vella had a fourth-place finish with Beau Rock in the Mad Duct Handicap (1000m) in race six.
Meanwhile in the day's feature race, the TAB Federal, the local short-priced favourite trained by Norm Gardner, Miss Ostend came in third, behind La Sante and Canberra's Luke Pepper-trained Affinity Beyond.
Gardner blamed the "quicksand" from barrier one for falling short.
"She just got on the fence, the worst part of the track," Gardner said after the race.
"The track was chopped up because it was wet. She tried her hardest but that's the way it goes."
For Pepper though it was a perfect send-off in his final race before he relocates to Scone.
"It was extremely emotional," he said.
"It's been 20 years here in Canberra. I started when I was young, got my trainer's licence here and now moving on," he said.
Pepper said he was confident Affinity Beyond would deliver, with the only question-mark on her ability going to 1200 metres having only ever raced at 1000 metres prior to Friday.
"She had a really good apprentice rider in Anna Roper," he said.
"It was a big thrill for us to win the main race of the day and it was great to see a young girl who is going to be a superstar later on win too."