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A last stride lunge by Golden Double denied Macau’s star galloper Wonder Mossman his third Director’s Cup at Taipa on Sunday.

In a thrilling finish to the G2 event, Golden Double under Charles Perkins put in an almighty late stretch to snatch victory by a nose from Wonder Mossman in the 25th running of the race.

Wonder Mossman as usual rolled straight to the front under jockey Horace Lam before extending his lead from the six hundred metres.

The son of Mossman had a nice break on straightening, but was not able to get away from the field as much this time with his brilliant speed tempered no doubt by the wet conditions.

The win by Golden Double gave young French rider Charles Perkins his fourth Group victory and Golden Double his second black type win.

The ride by Perkins was no doubt the difference between victory and defeat. On a day where the rail was by far the superior part of the track, Perkins rode the perfect race saving every inch of ground hard against the rail before stepping out at the 250 mark to unleash his big finish.

“I just rode the rail and I got a great run through. If I don’t ride him that way we just cannot win.” Perkins said.

“This is my horse. I do all the work on him in the morning and that’s four races I’ve won on him now.”

The win by Golden Double gave trainer Tony Fung his first victory in the Director’s Cup, a time honored event that was run over 1700m for the first time this year.

Golden Double a son of One Cool Cat, has now won nine races and placed eight times from his 43 runs in Macau. He has netted owner Cheung Fuk Yuen over $HK2.6 million prize money.

Not bad for a horse that had only earned $NZ1400 in his two runs in New Zealand, with a second in a maiden at Timaru his only claim to fame.

With the heavens opening up after the first race the track was left awash with 15 millimeters of rain falling, with the races being delayed by over an hour due to a severe electrical storm.

• NEW Zealander Andrew Calder was another that produced a perfect rails hugging ride on Magician Code in the Class 3 & 4 over 1500m that was the difference between winning and losing.

In the end Calder had to settle for half the prize with the judge unable to separate Magician Code and River Treasure (Luis Corrales) in another thrilling head bobbing finish.

No one rides the fence better then Calder and that is where he parked himself in the run, not stepping around a single horse.

Just when he got to the front on Magician Code and was being hailed the winner River Treasure powered home in the centre of the track and the pair hit the line locked together.

“Half of something is better than all of nothing.” Calder joked after the race.

“The rail was the only place to be and if I don’t ride him that way he probably runs a nice sixth.”

The victory made it two on trot for the Geoff Allendorf trained gelding and on both occasions in photo finishes. Magician Code would not have won either race but for the rails saving rides of Calder.

The biggest win of the day was by far the Kenny Seo prepared Sweet Korean who destroyed his rivals with a seven length win in the Class 2 & 3 over 1200 metres.

Sweet Korean made it two wins straight for the son of Wilander (Aus) both at the 1200 metre distance, but looks as though he will be strong up to 1500 metres on the strength of Saturdays win.

Jockey Ryan Curatolo sent the four year old straight to the front out of the gates and was always travelling on the bridle, before he let rip inside the final two hundred and sped away from Achilles Sword (Leo Salles) who was the only real chaser.

Sweet Korean was formerly trained in Australia by Gillian Heinrich where he won a Gold Coast maiden from his eight runs in Queensland.