After sitting nearly last early on, Capecover ($5) and jockey Steven Arnold charged to the outside on the straight, securing the lead and holding on strong to win Adelaide’s premier staying event a length ahead of a gallant Kerdem ($6.50).

The Mark Kavanagh-trained Itstheone ($10) was a fast finishing third a mere short half-head away with the pre-race favourite Fairygem ($4.20) in fourth.

Payne was over the moon with the win, his most lucrative race day as a trainer. It was an historic moment for him too, as he had previously taken out the Adelaide Cup as a jockey aboard Our Pompeii in 1994.

Payne’s sister Michelle, who rode runner-up Kerdem, tried to claim some of the triumph for herself when she put in a protest against Capecover claiming interference on the straight. Stewards agreed there was contact between Capecover and Kerdem in the closing stages of the race, but not enough to overturn the results and the objection was thrown out.

Capecover may move on to the Group 1 Sydney Cup at Randwick on April 24.

Training duo Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas also had a successful day at the Morphettville meeting on Monday, taking out both the Group 2 Yallambee Classic and the Group 3 R N Irwin Stakes with their classy females Majestic Music and Augusta Proud.

For more details on the 2010 Adelaide Cup results click on the race name.

2010 Adelaide Cup Results