The seven-year-old lumped 61 kilograms as he wore down Daryl in the final hop to claim the feature event on a big program of racing for the Forbes club.

Despite the fact punters found it difficult to split the main chances, they were shown to be on the mark with the three runners which started equal-favourites filling the placings.

On the line Sonro ($6.00 eq fav, Michael Heagney) had a half-head to spare from Daryl ($6.00 eq fav, Greg Ryan) with Leaders Road ($6.00 eq fav, Jake Pracey-Holmes) a further three-quarters-of-a-length away in third place.

The win added to the Gino D'Altorio-trained gelding's successes in the Parkes Cup and Mitavite Mile Series Final at Dubbo earlier in the year.

Heagney gave Sonro a peach of a ride from barrier two, jumping well and settling just off the pace which was set firstly by The Brown One ($8.00, Richard Bensley) and then by Shen Long ($17.00, Mathew Cahill) which made a daring mid-race move.

Daryl was always in the firing line, and just behind the leading pack was Sonro, which improved three-wide from the 500m mark.

As the field hit the straight Daryl moved to the lead and for a few bounds Leaders Road looked likely to give Dubbo's Dar Lunn his first win in the race as a trainer but Sonro got to business late to win in a photo finish.

Dubbo trainers Garry Lunn and Mark Jones tasted success earlier in the day with Lunn's runner Limber ($3.80, Mathew Cahill) taking out the Electrical Wholesale Services Class 1 Handicap (1400m) while Victorian Crown ($8.00, Mathew Cahill) was successful for Jones in the Forbes Can Assist Benchmark 55 Handicap (1400m).