Happy Trails is back to his best and a serious Cox Plate contender now, after an outstanding performance to win the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.

Before we attempt to make a case for any of the beaten division, forget all the hard luck stories, they will always be there, winning is still the name of the game.

With no excuses needed, it was Happy Trails that came up trumps, to the delight of his trainer, Paul Beshara, plus a brilliant ride from jockey Dwayne Dunn.

The winner, an $11,000 purchase out of the Magic Millions Sales in Adelaide, has proved a bargain, extending his stake earnings to $1.589 million.

Trainer, Paul Beshara, was on cloud nine after the win, “we are back again to have another crack at the Cox Plate,” he said

Happy Trails was one of the few horses that were running on in the Underwood Stakes, which was run at a farcical pace.

The Turnbull was a different story with an even pace set by Glencadam Gold, it was a more genuine pace that suited horses getting back in the field.

Glen Boss gave the favourite, Puissance de Lune a, great ride from the inside gate, he was the first to begin and actually led for a few strides before Glencadam Gold took up the ascendency and led to nearing the home turn.

Happy Trails about to claim Puissance de Lune, partly hidden.

Boss never covered an inch of ground, he had the run of the race, all was ready to pounce at the opportune moment.

The favourite shot away full of running, even when the challenges arrived he was holding them all at bay, until Happy Trails nailed him in the last couple of strides.

Boss commented afterwards, “ the track was hard and the horse was feeling his joints,” he will now go onto the Cox Plate in three weeks time, that will determine whether he proceeds onto the Melbourne Cup.

Fiorente staged an outstanding Melbourne Cup trial, he came from last at one stage to finish a close up fourth, his sectionals in the straight were far better than the three placed horses, he is right on track for the Melbourne Cup.

Hawkspur didn’t lose any admirers either, from a Cup point of view; he is ticking over nicely at this stage, while Silent Achiever, from New Zealand, was doing her best work when the post was reached.

The Australian Cup winner, Super Cool, out of the Mark Kavanagh yard, and the Sydney mare, Royal Descent, were both disappointing.

Royal Descent has been displaced as favourite for the Caulfield Cup by Hawkspur, he is now the $5 favourite for the race in two weeks time.

Jet Away’s run was also impressive in the Turnbull Stakes, as Fawkner cannoned into him at a crucial stage of the race in the straight, otherwise he could have been placed.

The intention is to start in the Caulfield Cup, but maybe he is just one run short of peak fitness for the tough 2400 metres at The Heath, as it was his only run since winning over Easter at Caulfield.

David Hayes would dearly love another run under the horse’s belt, but that is not going to happen.

Trainer Paul Beshara show his gratitude to Dwayne Dunn