Twelve months ago Who Shot Thebarman fell in the Sydney Cup and many thought they had seen the last of the honest stayer.
But that all seemed to be a distant memory as Blake Shinn brought the 9yo veteran down the centre of the track to nose out the brave Zacada in Saturday's $2 million Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) with Sir Charles Road was another length away third. (photos Steve Hart) .
It was like turning the clock back a decade as the winner and runner-up were bred in New Zealand and the third placegetter was an Australian-bred trained in New Zealand.
The well supported Japanese visitor Pre Stwick was scratched on veterinary advice behind the barriers.
Making his fifth start in the race, Who Shot Thebarman gave champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller a third Group 1 win in successive races on Saturday after Winx won the Queen Elizabeth and Unforgotten the Australian Oaks.
It was the second Group 1 for the 2014 Auckland Cup winner whose long list of near misses include seconds in the Group 1 ATC BMW Stakes and two previous runnings of the Group 1 Sydney Cup as well as Group 1 thirds in the VRC Melbourne Cup, ATC Tancred Stakes and Chipping Norton Stakes.
Who Shot Thebarman advances his record to 11 wins, 7 seconds and 4 thirds from 51 starts with earnings of $4,543,946.
"He would be the most frustrating horse to train, not because of the horse but the seconds, the thirds, running in Melbourne Cups, Sydney Cups year in year out," Waller said.
"Every preparation he gives us something.
"He's nine years old and if Winx is not a pretty good advertisement on how to look after a horse I think Thebarman takes the cake.
"That is the best he's looked for a nine-year-old, he was a test as a younger horse and we haven't given up on him and looked after him.
"His run in the Tancred was unbelievable so we came here with a bit of confidence. You just need everything in your favour, it was the bob of the head and we thought we were beaten. Today was our day.
Waller said the son of Yamanin Vital would likely be given another shot at the Melbourne Cup.
"It was heartbreaking for the owners to be scratched on the eve of the Melbourne Cup last year with an elevated temperature, so I think they will leave no decision but for me to run him," Waller said.
"Hopefully the handicapper gives him some relief."
Shinn said it was a thrill to win on a special horse.
"What a thrilling finish, if there is ever a horse that deserves to win a Sydney Cup it's him, only narrowly beaten in two, nine-years-old and he's got a great group of owners that follow him around every year," Shinn said.
"This is for them, this is for the horse, credit to Chris Waller and his team getting him to back up every year.
"It means a lot to me to be able to do it for those guys, they've stuck solid with me the last couple of years riding him and it's a massive thrill to be able to get him over the line today."
Bred by White Robe Lodge's Brian and Lorraine Anderton, Who Shot Thebarman is a son of their overachieving Sir Tristram stallion Yamanin Vital who died in 2009.
Who Shot Thebarman is out of the unraced Carolingian mare Ears Carol whose second dam Auditive (Random Chance) is a daughter of the Listed winner Auditory (Noble Bijou) from the family of dual Group 1 winner Prized Gem the dam of Group 1 AJC Australian Derby winner and young sire Nom Du Jeu (Montjeu).
