It wasn't to be for The Lion at Canterbury Park on Wednesday but trainer Michelle Fleming didn't leave empty-handed.
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The Lion finished strongly to finish third behind race favourite and winner Mansa Musa and Nindamos in the last race of the day.
The gelding jumped well enough in the benchmark 70 handicap before settling just behind midfield on the fence.
Jockey Blake Spriggs then rode for luck after the bend before a run along the fence opened up.
Spriggs took his opportunity before The Lion showed a good turn of foot to finish one and a half lengths off the winner in third place.
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Mansa Musa was too strong in a front-running effort while Nindamos flashed home from the back of the field to claim second place.
For Fleming, her attention will now turn to Saturday when she has two horses running at two separate tracks.
Manabar will return to Newcastle having raced there its past three starts.
From those starts, the gelding has claimed a second and a third and will compete in the opening race of the day - a benchmark 70 handicap.
Meanwhile, St Luke is nominated for the second race at Moree - a BM58 handicap - and will be searching for his first win since October last year.
"Manabar has been going to the right races and has been running consistently. I'll be going to Newcastle with him," Fleming said.
"It will be a bit weaker out Moree way for St Luke. He's been running in tough company in Scone and Musellbrook and this is a good distance for him."
