In a carnival which has been dominated by negative headlines, trainer Peter Gelagotis and his family have become the heartfelt story of the spring after Mourinho made it two city winners in as many weeks for the Moe-based trainer.
Gelagotis again held back tears as he spoke about Mourinho's win in the Drummond Golf Handicap (2000m), just days after the family buried his father Michael, who passed away after a long illness.
Seven days ago, Gelagotis battled conflicting emotions as his Derby hope Hvasstan prevailed in the Norman Robinson Stakes at Caulfield as the trainer was still coming to terms with his father's passing.
That victory was as much a tribute to the emotion of the moment, but this one was all about the workmanship of the trainer, who had nursed Mourinho ($8) back to fitness after a series of injuries kept him off the track for 18 months.
The former Tasmanian Derby winner, now a five-year-old, was given a classic ride by Hugh Bowman, who surprisingly opted to take him to the lead.
Mourinho was headed clearly by outsider Texan Warney at the 600m mark, but Bowman didn't panic then nor when $2.45 Midnight Martini raced up to him on the turn.
The Oratorio gelding fought back brilliantly and won comfortably, with Midnight Martini second and the other favoured runner Destiny's Kiss, who didn't have a lot of luck on the inside, third.
Bowman had ridden Mourinho at his previous start when second at $41 at Caulfield and had plenty of confidence that he could win the race if he was allowed to dictate.
"The step up in distance was in his favour. I thought it was a winnable race on form. Obviously (Mark) Kavanagh's horse (Midnight Martini) won the Cranbourne Cup in some style and he was the query but when he came to me, I was never too worried," he said
"He got into a nice rhythm for me in front. We weren't going too slow or too quick and I was always in a dictating position."
Gelagotis is experiencing the best two weeks of his professional career during some of the hardest times of his personal life and that conflict is not lost on him.
"To win two races on feature days, it's just a dream come true," he said. "I'll say again, I wish Dad was around, but in saying that, life goes on and we've got a job to do and that's what he'd be saying to us."
It has been a good day for country Victorian trainers, who won the first three races on the card.
Cranbourne-based Stephen Theodore won the first race with Crack A Roadie ($5.50), while Mornington-based Jason Warren tasted success in the City Jeep Handicap (1000m) with Freereturn ($8).
Continuing on with that theme, Paul Perry, based in Newcastle, continued his affinity with Cox Plate day by winning the Group Three Telstra Phoneworks Stakes (1200m) with the promising Hidden Warrior ($8).
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