Heading to Coonamble on Sunday, Dar Lunn was quietly confident about his chances of qualifying for the Newhaven Park Country Championships Final.
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Later in the day, one of his two chances went on to do just that dramatically.
Lunn's Elson Boy ($11) will head to Royal Randwick on April 6 for the Country Championships Final after winning the Western qualifier in a photo-finish.
The gelding led from start to finish and had to hold off the highly-fancied Gallant Star who stormed home around the outside to run second, also qualifying.
"I thought it might have got beat on the line," Lunn told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
"I knew it was in front on the line but on the line, I thought I could have got beat."
Elson Boy had won his last start heading into the meeting and Sunday's win just caps off an impressive year for his trainer.
"Twelve months ago he won a maiden at Orange and drew the extreme outside and I said to Jake Pracey-Holmes, who rode him, go forward and lead on him and he did,'' Lunn said.
"And he won nicely and we tipped him out for this race and he's come back and he hasn't put a foot wrong."
Experienced and well-known jockey Tommy Berry ventured out to Coonamble for the day, picking up a ride on Elson Boy in the feature race.
Now qualified for the $1 million final, Berry is hoping he can get another chance on Lunn's gelding.
"Mr Lunn gave me a lot of confidence before the race," he said.
"He said 'be really positive', I said 'you know Jake Pracey-Holmes (Listen To The Band) is inside us. He said he's tough, he'll just keep giving for you.
"To be honest I never felt the winner anywhere bar the last 100m. He was just way too good.
"This guy has been placed really well to get into the Final, I haven't got a ride for the Final yet but I guess I've got one now."
Gallant Star and Elson Boy have both qualified for the event with a wildcard to be held at Scone for the remaining hopefuls.