THE Emma-Lee and David Browne-trained Rhinoceros returned to winning form in what was an exciting finish to the $50,000 William Thomson Dunkeld Cup on Saturday.

Backed in to start a $3.40 favourite, the classy gelding broke a 12-month winless drought when he nailed brave front-runner, Friday At Five, in a driving finish.

The pair cleared out on the third placegetter, Any Luck, to provide a fantastic finish in magnificent conditions for the huge crowd on course.

A former smart three-year-old with multiple city wins, his form tapered off after contesting stakes races like the Group 2 Crystal Mile.

After being allowed to find winning form through the benchmark system, the now six-year-old once again struggled to win after scoring in the Peninsula Cup at Mornington in November last year.

His three runs this preparation were less than inspiring, but a lovely stalking ride by Jack Hill enabled him the last crack at Friday At Five, who was being hailed the winner for trainer, Henry Dwyer.

Friday At Five was ridden by Neil Farley who was inches off a treble.

Farley was placed in four of the first six races, including the cup, before winning the final two races on Kalends for John Salanitri and Brooklyn Baby for Mick Sell.

Linda Meech started the meeting in great style winning the first two races on the well-fancied pair, Du Clisson and Machinegunrhon.

Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s winning affinity with Dunkeld continued when smart sprinter, Scorsese, scored an easy win in the Baumgartners Tauto Sprint.

Allowed to balance up behind tearaway leader, Kev’s Girl, rider Emily Pozman was able to cruise to the lead before straightening and despite runner-up, Flip The Switch, finishing well, the win was full of merit.

The four-year-old gelding will be a horse to follow on city tracks during the summer months.

Tom Dabernig was the leading trainer with a double, as Du Clisson won the Ararat Meat Exports 3YO Maiden Plate on debut, and then following up with La Narradora who turned its form around to score in the Mike Rhodes Bucks Maiden Plate.

The good feel story of the meeting was the win of Come Along Jeffrey in the Catanach’s Jewellers BM70 Handicap.

Trained by Jamie Edwards, the win was Jason Webb’s first since making a riding comeback earlier this year.

Narrowly holding out runner-up and favourite, First Mate, the win was one of patience after 69 previous rides since jumping back in the saddle.

Results

Race 1 - Ararat Meat Exports 3YO Maiden Plate 1000m- 1st Du Clisson (Linda Meech/Tom Dabernig) $4.20; 2nd Evil Lover (Neil Farley/Shane Nichols) $2.90ef; 3rd Fright (Jack Hill/Alex Rae) $2.70ef.

Race 2 - MC Security 4YO+ Maiden Plate 1000m - 1st Machinegunrhon (Linda Meech/Rhonda Mangan) $5.50; 2nd Redemption Time (Neil Farley/Mick Sell) $3; 3rd Kristique Dancer (Ryan Hurdle/John Rowe) $26.

Race 3 - Mike Rhodes Bucks Maiden Plate 1200m - 1st La Narradora (Jarrod Fry/Tom Dabernig) $4.60; 2nd Ludo (Jordyn Weatherley/Dean Saxon) $21; 3rd Smartset (Steven Vella/Charmaine Barnes) $41.

Race 4 - Catanach’s Jewellers BM70 Handicap 1200m - 1st Come Along Jeffrey (Jason Webb/Jamie Edwards) $3.90; 2nd First Mate (Steven Vella/Kylie Vella) $3.10f; 3rd Verbosity (Linda Meech/Andrew Bobbin) $9.

Race 5 - Baumgartners Tauto Sprint BM64 Handicap 1000m - 1st Scorsese (Emily Pozman/Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman) $2.25f; 2nd Flip The Switch (Jarrod Fry/Michael Huglin) $3.90; 3rd Kev’s Girl (Neil Farley/Adam Chambers) $5.

Race 6 - William Thomson Dunkeld Cup 1800m - 1st Rhinoceros (Jack Hill/Emma-Lee & David Browne) $3.40f; 2nd Friday At Five (Neil Farley/Henry Dwyer) $3.60; 3rd Any Luck (Kate Walters/Wayne Walters) $4.60.

Race 7 - Elders 0-58 Handicap 1800m - 1st Kalends (Neil Farley/John Salanitri) $4.20; 2nd Mon Etoile (Jarrod Fry/Emma-Lee & David Browne) $5; 3rd Warlist (Jordyn Weatherley/Kelvin Bourke) $5.

Race 8 - bet365 0-58 Handicap 1200m - 1st Brooklyn Baby (Neil Farley/Mick Sell) $3f; 2nd Sports Choice (Jack Hill/Andrew Homann) $3.30; 3rd Elle McFearsome (Jarrod Fry/Brent Stanley) $9.50.