Caerless Choice won in front of a record Cup day crowd but drama struck while horses were in the parade yard prior to the race when a huge wind front hit the track.

Large umbrellas and temporary marquees collapsed and were blown around the course, some of them close to the track.

Jockeys had mounted-up but stewards deemed the conditions a danger to them and the horses – and ordered the riders to dismount and return to the jockeys’ room.

Minutes later the situation eased and the race went ahead.

The Paul Messara-trained Caerless Choice, ridden by Christian Reith, charged late on the outside to win by half a head from the Rod Northam-trained After All That (Robert Thompson).

Both horses are trained at Scone.

Last preparation Caerless Choice had little luck in several feature races at the Brisbane carnival, particularly in the Queensland Guineas in which he finished second last.

“He should have won but he never got any room in the straight and went to the line on the bridle,” Messara said.

“We had bad luck in the other races as well.”

The trainer thought luck had deserted the stable again when Caerless Choice drew barrier 15 in the Cup and Reith had no option than to drop out to last, at least 10 lengths from the leaders in the early stages.

After All That was back second last and Reith said that when Thompson started his move forward he followed him.

“After All That gave us something to follow, did the work and took us into the race,” Reith said. 

“I was surprised with the speed he showed in the straight but he was actually dying on his run on the line.”

Messara put blinkers back on the horse for the Cup following his disappointing effort first up at Rosehill.

“I wanted him sharp for this race so I put the shades on him and sprinted him over two furlongs (400 metres) on Tuesday morning and it worked,” he explained.

“I have always wanted to win the Muswellbrook Cup.

“This is a lovely part of the word, it’s where we live and these country cups are very important.”

Messara said Caerless Choice had taken longer to come up this time in, forcing him to change his plans.

“There is no set program yet but there are some nice 1600 metre races coming up in Brisbane during their summer carnival,” he said.

“He might end up going up there.

“Despite this win he is still a class five horse and if he is still at that stage I will look at the Country Championships but I won’t be holding him back just to qualify for that series.”