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Much improved galloper Boundless Glory took another step forward when he snatched a last stride victory in the $95,000 The Austcham Cup over 1200m on the Polytrack on Friday night.

Ridden by Manoel Nunes, Boundless Glory got up to score by a nose from Let’s See Action[n/] (Barend Vorster) with Sichuan Ruler (John Powell) a length-and-three-quarters away third.

Sichuan Ruler and the favourite [n]Petrenui (Corey Brown) set a cracking early speed to lead over Let’s See Action and Lightning Thief (Alan Munro).

Coming to the turn Petrenui and Sichuan Ruler had opened up a bit of a break on those trailing while Boundless Glory was still back in the second half of the field.

At the 200m Let’s See Action had joined the fray and was putting his head in front but Boundless Glory, which had been pulled out into clear galloping room on entering the straight, was starting to put in the big strides.

With every stride Boundless Glory ate into Let’s See Action’s lead and gained a last stride victory, providing Brazlian jockey Nunes with his 80th winner of the season.

Trainer Steven Burridge said Boundless Glory had a “big heart” and loved the Polytrack, but also was a much improved galloper, especially over the last 12 months.

“He was struggling in Class 4 company 18 months ago, but then all of sudden he found some form,” said Burridge.

“Then he got stuck at the top of Class 4 and wasn’t going anywhere, but again he picked his form up and here we are winning an Open Benchmark 89 race.

“It’s been the last 12 months that he’s come of age, but he’s a real trier. You love to have those sorts of horses in the stable and he’s done a huge job tonight to get up there on the line.”

When asked what had turned Boundless Glory’s form around, Burridge added: “He’s probably a bit like me, just maturity kicking in.”

Nunes said Boundless Glory was a big horse that required plenty of galloping room in his races and that he thought he had got up on the line to win the race.

“I thought going over the line that I had won,” said Nunes. “He travelled very well during the race and I kept him balanced into the straight.

“I got him to switch his lead legs and then he really got down to the job and finished off very strongly.

“He’s a very honest horse and a real pleasure to ride. He’s a real trier and you just love riding those sort of horses who put everything into their races.”

Nunes had been successful aboard Boundless Glory in Class 3 grade on August 2 over 1200m on the Polytrack before the gelding finished second in a Benchmark 83 Stakes over 1200m on August 18 under Alan Munro.