D J C Racing Stables’ Not To Be Denied was not to be denied his third straight win with a hard-fought victory in the Grade II SAR Special at 6 1/2 furlongs at SAR for juveniles. After stalking the pace for the first half, the gelding rushed to the lead coming home and fought through the far turn and stretch to score a diving one-length victory.

Night Rider Stables’ 10-1 longshot, Conformity, set all the early fractions before being headed by the winner and kept fighting to the end to lose grudgingly by but a length. Coming home with a late run that made a three-horse challenge to the wire was Mb Stables’ Cardinal Direction, a 6-1 chance at the win. Team 7 Illusions’ sterling filly Gobekli Tepe was handed her first defeat as the 3-1 favourite, finishing fourth, two lengths back.

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