Wolf wins by a Stride in memorable Riverina Championships Entires and Geldings final

In a fitting climax to the group one carnival, favourite Wolf Stride ($2.10) defied the second row draw and racing in the death seat for the majority of the race to beat a fast-finishing Out To Play ($4.60) and Max Delight ($13) by a nose.

Trainer-driver Anthony Butt was relieved to escape with the win and praised the five-year-old for digging deep down the straight despite a tough run.

Outsider Rockin Marty ($34) took the lead at the start, forcing Wolf Stride to sit outside him for most of the trip.

Out To Play, driven by Kate Gath, was perhaps a little unlucky after just missing when forced to sustain a run three and four wide coming from second last with 600m left.

It continued a superb run for Wolf Stride, who has now won five of his last six races and also finished third in the prestigious Miracle Mile at Menangle in early March.

Despite being forced to do it the hard way Wolf Stride clocked a mile rate of 1:52.5, just outside the track record of 1:52.2 set by Techys Angel in the Mares group one final earlier in the day.

"Halfway up the straight I thought the others might get him for momentum, but he really dug deep and just did enough," Butt said.

"They've been running fast early and not backing off (during the carnival), it's hard racing."

A big crowd was on hand to watch the finals after last year's carnival was cancelled due to COVID.

"It's great for the community to see a field like that up close," Butt said.

"I knew before the race there was probably five legitimate chances and it wasn't going to be an easy race to win, and that was spot on.

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"A lot of these horses will be in Inter Dominions and Miracle Miles in the future, but that's what you want. If you put $100,000 up you expect a good field, and that's what they got.

"Because of COVID the circumstances have changed a little bit. Probably some good has come out of a bad situation because four and five-year-olds are probably the future, and it's been proven today that if you keep going down that road we'll keep being successful."

Jackson Painting also had a day out after steering home three favourites.

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