Mick Price’s Victorian visitor Eximius upset the local hopes in one of the major Caloundra Cup Day races on Saturday taking out the Sunshine Coast Guineas 2013.

Sunshine Coast Guineas winner Eximius proved they could handle a Heavy track on the weekend. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.

Backing up from a close second to Academus in a Listed mile race at Eagle Farm the Exceed And Excel gelding relished the same distance at the Sunshine Coast on a Heavy (9) track.

Becoming a dual black type winner following a Melbourne Cup Carnival victory last November, Eximius ($4.80) was ridden by Larry Cassidy in the $100,000 Listed XXXX Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) from a wide barrier 13 (of 15).

It proved an ideal position in the mud however as the pair stormed home to defeat the punters’ pick Lucky Hussler ($2.60) by three quarters of a length in an effort Cassidy described as “gutsy”.

“It was a really gutsy win because the second horse had a good kick but my bloke wasn’t going to give in at any stage,” Cassidy said.

The Les Ross-trained Casino Card ($9) was then just a quarter length further back in third just ahead of Kelly Schweida’s consistent Show A heart gelding Luke’s Luck ($10).

Cassidy put in a masterful ride to take out the classic having always planned to trail the Damian Brown-ridden Lucky Hussler.

“I wanted to play Brownie at his own game,” Cassidy said.

“I wanted his horse to make his run first and I was keen to settle in behind him.”

And Cassidy was also the one that convinced Price to give Eximius a shot on the rain-affected track, and the trainer did need some convincing.

I could sense from Mick’s tone of voice that he wasn’t convinced it was a good idea to run him on the heavy track,” Cassidy said.

“But I told him I was happy to be drawn wide because I was certain the going would be far better well off the fence by the last race of the day.”

Punters are now looking ahead to the Queensland Cup Day races back at Eagle Farm this Saturday to see out the winter features before the spring.

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2013 Sunshine Coast Guineas Results & Finishing Order

Sunshine Coast Race 9 – 29/06/2013