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The pressure of major races was in full view at the Australian Turf Club's meeting at Rosehill on Saturday with Manawanui the surprise winner of the $1m, Group 1 Tooheys New Golden Rose after being the subject of a huge offer on the eve of the race, and a successful protest promoting Helmet to third over Foxwedge.

The race was run at a moderate pace and Glyn Schofield quickly summed up the situation with 900m to run and he sent Manawanui to the front to dictate terms from there on.

It was the winning of the race for the Ron Leemon trained Oratorio gelding as trouble at the back of the field hampered the efforts of the more favoured runners, Smart Missile and Helmet, to catch the leader.

Helmet under Kerrin McEvoy missed the start and suddenly both he and Smart Missile with Glen Boss were at the rear of the six horse field.

Aeronautical and Nathan Berry were outside and one back from Manawanui, with Flight Of Pegasus and Chris Munce behind. Racing behind Aeronautical was Foxwedge and apprentice James McDonald, and then it was back to Helmet and Smart Missile.

At the 600m McDonald looked over his left shoulder and moved Foxwedge out. McEvoy saw the gap and moved Helmet into the now empty gap. McDonald then allowed Foxwedge to slide back into the now non-existent space and cannoned Helmet into Smart Missile on the rails.

Both Helmet and Smart Missile were forced to steady and rebalance losing ground that Racing NSW stewards' estimated at one length.

Meanwhile Manawanui was leading by 1 1/2L up front as they passed the 400m at the top of the straight. Schofield needed no further assistance with the major race rider under no illusions as what to do with Manawanui and they set off at high speed to the line.

On the outside of the field Smart Missile and Boss commenced their chase, as did Helmet and McEvoy further out, and behind Smart Missile.

The gap between Manawanui and Smart Missile closed with every stride, but then Smart Missile diverted from the straight and true path and veered out with 75m to run hampering his chase. Foxwedge was chasing gallantly but not in wining contention, and Helmet was closing on Foxwedge.

Schofield knew he had the race won and saluted with the whip before the line and no doubt was relieved of a small part of his winning percentage, while Boss was left fuming about the interference back at the 600m. So was McEvoy and after viewing the stewards' video he protested.

After deliberation the stewards agreed that with the margin at the line being a neck Helmet had been severely checked and lost a length, as well as momentum, and they upheld the protest and changed the placings.

The new margins were a short neck to Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock), with 3 1/4L to Helmet (Exceed And Excel), Foxwedge fourth, Flight of Pegasus fifth and Areonautical sixth. The time was 1.23.32 on the Dead 4 track and the final 600m in 34.24. Manawanui paid $6.30 on NSW TAB and $7.50 on TAB Sportsbet fixed odds.

“It's amazing,” Leemon said. “It's tremendous, it's a dream come true.

“I am glad (the owners paid the $50,000 late entry fee), they have had a great thrill, a great thrill.

“I've got the winner and I am so please for everybody associated with the stable, it's tremendous.

“We have battled but we've got there,” he said.

Leemon, 64, revealed that he had continued to field offers to buy Manawanui with the latest on Friday night with $1 million being placed on the table. That offer as well as the others was declined.

“I am, along with my wife Gaye and the other connections, who are all new to the stable, are chasing our dream. Why not enjoy it at our stage of life,” he said.

Leemon has been training for more years that he wishes to remember and at any one time he has between four and six horses in his stable. His last Group 1 runner was True Dreams in 1988, and Saturday's win is his first Group 1 winner.

The plan now for Manawanui is the $250,000, Group 2, Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on September 24th before the grand final of the $1m, Group I, The Age Caulfield Guineas (1600m) t Caulfield on October 8th.

“You have to support Sydney racing at this time,” he said.

“I said to Ronny 'I don't mind leading on this horse', it didn't really matter what scenario worked out for us, as long as I had a margin between myself and the rest and I knew this fella doesn't stop,” Schofield said.

“The way he picked up on a heavy track at his first start back, he was always going to show a lot of speed on a dry and firmer surface today.

“I must pay tribute to Ron, the poor fella has been a bag of nerves, he has been in racing such a long time and is such a great man, to finally get a horse of this calibre and to do everything right with all the pressure around him, he deserves all the accolades.

“I told (Ron) the first time I saw (Manawanui) I said, 'gee he looks a bit fat', but when I got on him he gave me an unbelievable feel and I said to him for the word go 'you have a top racehorse here', and he has proven that today.

“I am more happy for Ron and his connections, it is good to see not really one of the big name trainers come through with a really fantastic horse, he has received some lucrative offers for this horse but they have stuck solid and kept him and have reaped the rewards,” he said.

Glen Boss was adamant that the incident at the 600m had cost him the race.

“A few things didn't go our way. Obviously at the start, Foxwedge come out about six horses and put everything skew if then at the 500m James McDonald in his wisdom when three wide tried to get one off the fence with two inside him.

“He just smashed me up the fence. That's cost me the race,” said Boss, who also commented unfavourably on apprentices riding in major races.