Steve Elsum and Ray Brewer had promising chasers win at odds at Wannon Park on Thursday night, the penultimate meeting of the popular carnival.

Elsum claimed the lucrative $7500-to-win Warrnambool Summer Cup when Mepunga Ranger scored by two lengths from Belena Prince, trained by Brewer.

Mepunga Ranger started from box three, shook off all but one of his rivals by the first turn and defied a challenge from Belena Prince in the straight.

Elsum was pleased with the win, which came in 25.14 seconds and at the odds of $24.60 — the second-longest in the race.

“He’s always had the ability but he was injured at Sandown three months ago and damaged two toes,” he said.

“It’s taken a little while for him to get back to what he was. He has run that time before at Warrnambool. It wasn’t a surprise to me that he did win it.”

Elsum said he was confident Mepunga Ranger would win once he hit the front. The three-year-old came from three-lengths last to win his heat a week earlier.

“Once he found the lead I thought it was over. Last week he missed the start a little bit. He lacked confidence through his injury,” he said.

“But last night he was full of himself going into the boxes. I was quite happy to have him in the lead, put it that way.”

Mepunga Ranger will likely head back to Sandown in the coming weeks. A start in a Warrnambool Cup heat in April is also a possibility.

“He’s had a few wins (at Sandown). He ran second in the Launching Pad final and was only beaten a length from memory,” Elsum said.

Brewer had to settle for second in the Cup but was celebrating a race earlier when Bekim Vapour stormed home in the $3050-to-win Vic Breeders’ Series final.

Bekim Vapour was third-last rounding the turn but powered around the outside to win in 25.69 seconds, from Tankster and Granville’s Call. He paid $13.10.

“He was a little bit slow out, as I thought he would be. But he’s a very strong dog at the end. He made up a lot of ground, probably eight lengths,” Brewer said. “He’s learning a lot. He was pretty green at the start (of his career).

“He was running up their bums — he wasn’t getting around them. Touch wood I’m hoping he’s turned a corner and keeps plugging away.”

Brewer said he would take Bekim Vapour to Horsham on Tuesday for heats of a one-to-four-wins series over 480 metres. The final is the following week.

“I think he’s looking for more ground. I reckon we’ll look at 600 in Melbourne. We might even try Ballarat on the 545 and work up that way,” he said. Meanwhile, the Jeff Britton-trained Boxhead was a dominant victor in the third feature at Wannon Park on Thursday, the VBIS Maiden Series final.

Boxhead, a $1.60 favourite, was never challenged after rushing to a clear lead from the start. He beat Lynlea Jake by more than four lengths in 25.25 seconds.

The Warrnambool Seaside Carnival wraps up next Thursday night.

afawkes@fairfaxmedia.com.au