BATHURST'S champion in-form pacer Our Uncle Sam came close to adding another Group 1 title to his name when he finished just a head short of Majordan in Sunday's Len Smith Mile (1,609 metres) at Menangle.
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Kevin Pizzuto's Majordan ($3.20, Todd McCarthy) led from start to finish get his revenge on Chris Frisby's Our Uncle Sam ($2.80 favourite, Anthony Frisby) after he finished behind the Bathurst pacer in March's G1 Bohemia Crystal Mile.
Our Uncle Sam went stride for stride with the leader down the home stretch but Majordan - who finished eighth in the same event a year earlier - still had plenty left to give, winning in a mile rate of 1:49.6.
Majordan ran the last half in a scorching 53 seconds.
Bathurst's other hopes in the event, Joes Star Of Mia ($41, Mitch Turnbull) and Ellmers Image ($5.50, Amanda Turnbull), finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Our Uncle Sam took his career earnings past the $400,000 mark with the result.
A win would have smashed his previous best winning mile rate of 1:52.3.
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The Sportswriter x Rooftop Fairy gelding added another Group 1 runner-up result to his Inter Dominion and Hunter Cup finishes from earlier this season.
Trainer Frisby wasn't disappointed to leave Sydney with another major runner-up prize.
"We're very happy with it. If he had won the race it would have been his fastest time as well," he said.
"I thought he had the potential to cut into [Majordan's] lead. He certainly had every opportunity to beat him. The second quarter [of 30 seconds] is probably what beat us.
"That's why he won the race and why we finished second.
"He's just been unbelievable for us. Every time he goes away for a spell he comes back better. This time last year he was a really good horse but he's become even better."
The Frisbys will now send Our Uncle Sam on to a Queensland winter campaign.
He will be contesting the Group 2 Sunshine Sprint (July 13) and the Group 1 Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship (July 20).
Majordan has also been confirmed to be taking the same path.
Sunday's racing at Menangle also featured a swath of Group 1 Breeders Challenge finals but Bathurst runners were kept at bay by a classy field of contenders.
The closest any runner came to victory was Steve Turnbull's Myra Dawn, who finished third in the Breeders Challenge 3YO Fillies Final.
Top five finishes in the finals also came the way of Saint Emilion, Art Series (Steve Turnbull), Didnt I (Amanda Turnbull), Make Mine Memphis (Bernie Hewitt) and Hes Chiming (Lester Hewitt).
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Alexander Grant
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
