Bookmakers joined the cheer squad in welcoming Langridge Street back to the winner’s circle, giving them the best result they had all day with the gelding paying $51.00.

Most well informed punters joined the charge to support Infinite Energy, who was heavily backed with bookmakers, coming in from $5.50 to $2.45, in the closing minutes of betting.

The race was held up for quite a few minutes when the German import, Val Mondo, out of the Aaron Purcell yard at Warrnambool, dug his toes in, refusing to take any part at all in the race.

Ultimately he was withdrawn after proving a handful, whether a ban was placed on him is not yet known.

The winner, Langridge Street, a $20,000 yearling out of the Inglis Premier Sales, is giving his group of owners a lot of fun at little cost, earning $176,492 in stakes.

Trainer of the five year gelding, Michael Hibbs, tossed the coin in 1998 whether to remain in the police force, or turn his attention to training racehorses.

While there may have been a few doubts from time to time, with a few slow horses, all those doubts, if any, would have been erased after the win of Langridge Street, and on the strength of the win, there is likely to be a few more along the way.

Langridge Street wins for Michael Hibbs