Pacesetter Almost Court (Alamosa) had to settle for a dead heat with Emperor's Way at Randwick on Saturday.
The duo could not be split in the Fairfax & Roberts Jewellers Handicap (2000m) after Emperor's Way, the $3.50 favourite, made a last-ditch dive at the line.
Almost Court's co-trainer Paul Jones was satisfied with the outcome as the five-year-old gelding aims for the Canberra Cup.
Almost Court was bred in partnership by Cambridge Hunt Ltd, B M Hancock and C McFarlane and was sold for $36,000 from Curraghmore's 2015 NZB Select draft.