Durston has made the most of a last-minute inclusion to win the Caulfield Cup, while Giga Kick denied wonder sprinter Nature Strip in an unexpected result to claim The Everest at Royal Randwick.
Left as the the first emergency for the $5 million Caulfield Cup when the field was decided, Durston was elevated into the famous handicap with a race-morning scratching.
In a pulsating finish, Durston arrived late on the scene for jockey Michael Dee to snatch the race away from topweight Gold Trip.
Knights Order made most of the running before finishing third.
It was Chris Waller's second Caulfield Cup triumph and came only an hour after his charge Nature Strip was upstaged by Giga Kick in The Everest in Sydney.
Amid the post-mortem of Nature Strip's performance, it did not take Waller long to turn disappointment into triumph during one of Australian racing's most important days.
"We were deflated (after Nature Strip) but, wow, what an amazing win there," Waller told the Seven Network from Randwick.
"A Caulfield Cup, it's a big deal, and Durston he's a really decent horse.
"He looked like he needed a bit of luck getting out and he did get out, [a] great ride from Michael."
Durston was one of four Caulfield Cup runners for Waller, who first won the race with champion mare Verry Elleegant in 2020.
Favourite Smokin' Romans was given every chance by jockey Jamie Kah.
He loomed into the race on the turn before switching back to the inside of runners but conceded ground late to finish just behind the placings.
Giga Kick causes upset
Unbeaten three-year-old Giga Kick fast-tracked his way to racing stardom with a stunning win in The Everest.
One of the last horses picked to contest the world's richest thoroughbred race – featuring $15 million in total prize money — Giga Kick produced an explosive finish to reel in his older rivals to give young trainer Clayton Douglas a dream result.
Having only his fifth start and coming from the second half of the field under jockey Craig Williams, Giga Kick denied wonder sprinter Nature Strip a second win in the 1,200-metre race.
It was a triumph thought improbable a few weeks ago, but Williams revealed his confidence grew between Giga Kick winning at Caulfield in August and at Flemington earlier this month.
"I said to Clayton, 'I think he might have to buy a slot but he's 12 months away,'" Williams said.
"But after I rode him one day before he won the Danehill Stakes I said we might not be 12 months away after all.'"
Douglas took up the challenge when slot holder James Harron came calling to offer Giga Kick an Everest berth.
"He wasn't in the race to make up the numbers and I had a lot of faith in him," Douglas said.
"He's a star. Watch out, he's the new kid on the block."
Nature Strip was bidding for back-to-back Everest wins.
He was forced to sit deep from a wide barrier, but when given his cue at the 300m mark the chestnut responded to establish a break on his chasers.
It was short-lived for the shortest-priced favourite in Everest history and his reputation as the best sprinter on the planet counted for little when it mattered most.
Second-placed Private Eye was momentarily hailed the winner he when claimed Nature Strip only for Giga Kick to swoop late.
Mazu snatched the minor placing away from Nature Strip, another half-length away.
"It didn't quite work out the way we wanted it to but at the 50 metres he still looked the winner," Waller said.
The Everest was robbed of one of its leading contenders when Lost And Running was scratched on race morning.
AAP/ABC
