IN 2015 Bathurst trainer Peter Stanley came within inches of winning the prestigious Bathurst RSL Club Soldier’s Saddle when Hollywood Nell was beaten out on the line, so it would not have been a surprise if he was feeling a sense of deja vu at Tyers Park on Monday afternoon.

Once again Stanley was denied in a tight finish to the 1,400 metres ANZAC Day feature.

This time around City Boots put in a valiant effort and very nearly posted an all the way win in the $25,000 feature, but top weight Showmaster nudged her out by a neck.

After Hollywood Nell lost by a matter of millimetres last year to Prattler, trained by Stanley’s son Justin, it fuelled the desire of the Bathurst conditioner to lay his hands on the Soldier’s Saddle trophy.

So he unleashed three-horse bid to win in 2016 with Hollywood Nell returning to compete alongside City Boots and stable newcomer Hair Of The Dog.

Hair Of The Dog ($7) was able to finish strongly for third while Hollywood Nell ($17) struck trouble and placed 10th.

At odds of $11, City Boots was given a small chance of success by punters but the performance she put in was something more fitting of a favourite.

City Boots showed nice acceleration to break away from Hair Of The Dog in the closing 200m, but Showmaster ensured Stanley was denied once again.

Stanley said City Boots and Hair Of The Dog produced inspired runs.

“I reckon they were both very good runs and the other mare [Hollywood Nell] got into a bit of trouble back in behind them. She was pressed wide and didn’t really like the other horses knocking her around,” he said.

“The other two runners were as honest as they come.”

Jockey Ken Dunbar had plenty of praise for City Boots after her bold, frontrunning performance.

“She’s been honest the last four or five runs. In every run she’s probably been beaten by a maximum of only three lengths. She had a nice run today,” he said.

“The other horse that I’ve won a few races on, Bathurstian, came along the outside of me to put a bit of pressure on a long way out. It took me out of my gear a bit and I had to use a bit more petrol just to stay in touch. 

“She’d only just got run down today by a pretty handy one, who had won at Goulburn last start.”

City Boots had been racing consistently heading into the Bathurst feature with two runner-up finishes and a third place.

From 29 starts City Boots now has three wins and eight seconds. She will be developing the ‘bridesmaid’ tag if she’s not careful.