Tatra has ground out a tight win in the Group 2 Sandown Guineas to hand Peter Snowden his third win in the race in the last four years.
The gutsy Hussonet colt just held out Lunar Rise and stablemate Proverb to match the result Snowden enjoyed in 2008 with Caymans, and a year later with Kidnapped.
Lunar Rise, who narrowly beat home Tatra two weeks back in the Carbine Club Stakes, looked like he was going to burn past the winner 100m from home but Snowden's galloper refused to give in under jockey Kerrin McEvoy.
“I could here Lunar Rise and the other horse coming at me but my fella just dug deep,” McEvoy said.
“There wasn't much in it but we were able to get a nice trip throughout.
“He's no world beater but he's a good old grinder and gives his best.
“He's always shown nice promise and he's gotten stronger and better throughout his preparation last time and this time as well.
“Up on the speed here today he toughed it out well. It was good to win this race again.”
The Guineas win was a plan hatched well before the spring carnival by Snowden, who purposely targeted the race with Tatra and Proverb.
“These are two horses we identified fairly early in the carnival,” Snowden said.
“We thought well they're not A-graders, they're not [Caulfield] Guineas horses but they're the next level down and they almost quinellad it.
“It's a good race to win, it's a good money race but it's a hard race to get a horse up for.
“He [Tatra] is not top grade. Placed right to advantage he's a very handy horse but he's just not A-Grade.
“Full credit to [Melbourne foreman] Paul [Snowden] and his team he's done a fantastic job.”
