Local three year old October Date got the judge’s nod over Maysoor in a tight finish to the Group 3 $115,000 Quayclean Chairman’s Stakes (2020m) at Morphettville today.

Punters were left waiting on tender hooks as the well fancied second favourite October Date ($4.20) and roughie Maysoor ($71) staged a two horse war from the 300m mark and with hardly a breath splitting them as they crossed the line.

Shayne Cahill had October Date settled in the second half of the field and made his move wide out on the track while Troy Baker on Maysoor slipped through the middle of the pack to stake his claims for the lead shortly after heads were turned for home.

The Nick Smart trained October Date and Maysoor from Mick Price’s Caulfield stable are likely to clash again in the Group 1 $500,000 Sportingbet South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville in a fortnight.

Outsiders Chu Chu Charlie ($31) and Time Walker ($21) had their own battle for third and fourth with only a whisker separating the pair.

Chu Chu Charlie with Jake Toeroek got the judge’s decision for third relegating Time Walker back to fourth.

The Mark Kavanagh trained Magicool was sent out the $3.20 favourite but after being slow to leave the barriers and was always near the tail of the field and struggled to make ground in the straight to finish eighth, six and three quarter lengths from the winner.

Punters had warmed to Magicool after he returned to the winner’s stall at his previous start at Caulfield over 2000m but the one time highly rated three year old looked uninterested at Morphettville today.

The majority of the three year olds that went around in the Chairman’s Stakes today will meet again in a fortnight in the South Australian Derby.