The fairytale story has come true for 42 Shellharbour punters.
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The group, led by Wollongong's Albert Tory, had jumped on the ticket for Handle the Truth to win the $1.3 million Kosciuszko race over 1200m at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
The Keith Dryden-trained gelding, ridden by Nash Rawiller, came from fifth spot with 400 metres left to burst home and salute by a length from favourite Victorem.
The win means the punters will pocket thousands of dollars each.
A jubilant Tory said he received a "flurry of calls" after the win.
"My phone hasn't stopped," he said.
"I've had so many phone calls [from people in] Illawarra and Shellharbour, it's just been absolutely amazing. It's great for the punters.
"The race was almost exactly the way that he [Rawiller] said it would go. He said 'I just want to sit fourth or fifth, not be crowded, and then go hell for leather'. He said he would pull it off, and he did."
Tory, the former owner of the Illawarra's Toyota dealerships, said the majority of the Shellharbour punters were "battlers".
"Out of the 42, there are 30 people who are real battlers," he said.
"It's just a great story, all of the public has seemed to love it."
After the race, Dryden said it was a great win by the four-year-old gelding.
Afterwards, Dryden said it was a great win by Handle the Truth.
"[Fellow trainer] Peter Snowden said to me before the race that he was a 100 per cent genuine chance to win, which made me feel better," he said.
"I think there's going to be some champagne and prawns [to celebrate]."
It's just a great story, all of the public has seemed to love it.
- Albert Tory
The main race at Royal Randwick on Saturday was the TAB Everest over 1200m. The field included two-time defending champion Redzel, part owned by Wollongong's Peter Piras.
However, there was no hat-trick for the gelding as the Chris Waller-trained Yes Yes Yes saluted.
Redzel, trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, finished in eighth place.
Earlier that day, Berry trainer Terry Robinson came within a whisker of tasting success. Robinson's Lady Demi, ridden by Brock Ryan, was beaten in a photo finish by Feel the Knight in the TAB Highway Handicap over 1100m.
The Robinson-trained Zardoro came seventh while Can't Find Snippy, trained by Kembla Grange's Michelle Ritchie, finished 14th.
Elsewhere, the Gwenda Markwell-trained Angel of Truth was among a strong field in the Stella Artois Caufield Cup over 2400m at Caulfield Racecourse.
Japanese raider Mer De Glace saluted while Angel of Truth finished in 15th place.
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