In the hands of co-trainer Mark Purdon, who had won the Inter Dominion Grand Final half-an-hour earlier with Lazarus, Ultimate Machete dominated from the front and held comfortably.

After drawing one, Ultimate Machete was crossed by the speedy filly Maczaffair off the arm but was swiftly away from the markers around the first bend and straight in to the lead.

“Once he was in front he was right, but it was a bit hairy early,” revealed Purdon post-race.

After finding the front, he was never going to be seriously challenged and it was a case of by how much he would win.

The answer was 2.4 metres, but the strapping entire did it in cruise control.

Ultimate Machete was a controversial winner of last season’s New Zealand 3YO of the Year award, outpointing stablemate and dual Derby winner Vincent by a single vote.

Purdon admitted that Vincent probably had the wood on him last year, but that may now have changed.

“He was over-shadowed last year by Vincent, but this year he might have turned the tables.”

Maczaffair held second from the trail while Herrick Roosevelt came up the markers for third in the hands of Gary Hall Jnr.