James Cummings may have been denied the Cox Plate in the stewards' room, but the mighty Godolphin empire could still revel in a Kembla Grange double on Saturday.
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A protest in the weight-for-age championship at Moonee Valley was controversially dismissed, when Cummings' Anamoe was nosed out by Irish raider State Of Rest.
But earlier, the heavy track at the Illawarra Turf Club proved more fruitful, as daughter of Kermadec Steelsheen held off the challengers to break her Maiden at 1400m, before son of Exosphere Dark Energy bolted in over a mile.
It was Steelsheen's fourth career start and third this preparation, but the first time stepping out on a wet track.
"She was good enough and Christian (Reith) rode her well and picked up the pace at the right time and got her home," Godolphin representative Lee Kunde said.
"When they're a bit fitter and third run in especially, they get through the ground all right."
Steelsheen booted clear at the 200m mark, but still had to contend with late pressure, as runner-up Don Quixote, trained by Mark Newnham, Drummin and Police surged late.
Dark Energy had few concerns in the closing stages, with jockey Koby Jennings beating off Newnham's Vyner to win by more than two lengths, the three-year-old geldings first win at the eighth attempt.
Chris Waller's multiple Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant was third in the Cox Plate, but the stable also left Kembla Grange with two victories.
Four-year-old mare Black Queen produced an impressive staying performance in the conditions, then three-year-old filly Thalassophile swooped late to nose out Richard and Michael Freedman's Estonia over 1200m.
"She was looking for 2000m and also a softer track," Waller representative Clare Heuston said of Black Queen.
"At Goulburn, the last couple of meetings down there, it's been quite a hard track and she probably felt the jar.
"Today she looked the winner from the 600m, it's unbelievable. I was a bit worried when she was in front by about the 500m, I thought, please, keep going, but she was really strong."
Racing returns at Kembla Grange on Melbourne Cup day, November 2.
Saturday looms as one of the biggest days ever for South Coast trainers, with the Robert and Luke Price-trained Count de Rupee a contender in the $7.5 million Golden Eagle.
Kerry Parker's star Think It Over chases a fourth win this campaign in the Rosehill Gold Cup and Tampering, Prices' Verbek and Kobestar and Theresa Bateup's Divine Breath are in the inaugural Four Pillars event.
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Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
