Or so they thought.

Tyers Park played host to a rare dead heat on Monday when Ben Shoof (Greg Ryan) and Banjo's Voice (Chad Lever) hit the line together in the Hothams Sand & Soil Class 1 Handicap (1,408 metres).

Both runners swept down the outside of the track across the final 200m of the race to set up an exciting finish.

Ben Shoof held the lead until the closing strides. At that point the runners exchanged the lead back and forth with every nod forward of the head.

After five minutes there was still no decision reached but Chad Lever had confidently brought Banjo's Voice back into the number one spot inside the parade ring.

Banjo's Voice didn't stay in that spot for long as officials continued to study the race finish.

Anxious owners watched on as both horses circled around the ring before the dead heat announcement came through from race caller Col Hodges.

The announcement drew different responses from the jockeys involved.

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Lever was unconvinced and asked officials for a look at the photo finish, eventually having to settle for the shared result, while the dead heat was a pleasant surprise for Ryan.

"I thought I got beaten," Ryan said.

"There was bob of the heads for a good while and when they were having trouble finding a margin I thought the only thing that could help me was if my horse had put his head down as far as he could and his horse had put his up as far as he could."

The Clint Ludholm-trained Ben Shoof paid $11 for the win while Wade Slinkard's Banjo's Voice raced at $5.50.

Jonjo's Comet ($26) was the best of the rest.

"It's a good result in particular for that horse. He'd been racing in inferior company to this race," Ryan said.

"He got beat at Parkes last start and Coonamble before that. He's done well to meet these city and provincial horses and get away with half a result."

It was a welcome result for Ryan after being runner-up in the opening two races.