A very quiet season for horse and trainer received a significant boost when Max Phactor took out the $14,000 Hawera Cup on Monday in the hands of Phil Butcher.
The Mike Berger-trained five year old backed up his day one victory with a photo finish win over Black Chevron and Razor Brogden in a thrilling finale to the two-day meeting.
It was almost 11 months since Max Phactor, twice placed fourth in Group One races, won the last of his previous seven wins.
Berger says his charge has been a glaring victim of the new handicapping system and he very nearly didn't go to the meeting with his whole team when he was told the horse couldn't race on day one with a junior driver concession.
"The race on the first day wasn't going to get off the ground so I tried to put him in with a junior concession but the handicapper said no.