That was the case for Wangoom trainer Matthew Williams and galloper LuckyI’mbarefoot yesterday when they won the 1400m handicap, ending a run of near misses.

LuckI’mbarefoot finished second in the same race in 2012, beaten by a nose, seventh in 2013 and second again last year. 

But yesterday jockey Dean Yendall got the timing right, getting the seven-year-old home by a short half-head from Orientaped, trained by Mitch Freedman at Crossley.

“For a minute there I thought it would be a second again,” Williams said after a photo-finish was needed.

It was Williams’ third winner of the carnival, equalling his previous best of three in 2009. Williams said he was delighted for the Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock syndicate including Warrnambool’s Anthony Hussey and Mark Atchison.

A protest by the rider of Orientaped, Anthony Boyd alleging interference near the 600m mark was dismissed.