Excellantes' late winter carnival surge may have come too late to earn a trip to Melbourne this spring despite his convincing victory at Doomben.Excellantes provided premier trainer Rob Heathcote with a winning treble when he downed topweight Startsmeup by 1-1/4 lengths in Saturday's Jim Beam Handicap (1110m).The Ringmaster was a further long head away third.Heathcote has booked seven boxes at Flemington for the Melbourne spring carnival but it's unlikely Excellantes will join stable flag-bearer

Excellantes' late winter carnival surge may have come too late to earn a trip to Melbourne this spring despite his convincing victory at Doomben.

Excellantes provided premier trainer Rob Heathcote with a winning treble when he downed topweight Startsmeup by 1-1/4 lengths in Saturday's Jim Beam Handicap (1110m).

The Ringmaster was a further long head away third.

Heathcote has booked seven boxes at Flemington for the Melbourne spring carnival but it's unlikely Excellantes will join stable flag-bearers Woorim and Buffering interstate.

Heathcote believes Excellantes is worthy of an interstate trip but the timing doesn't fit in well.

"I really think there's a good race in him down south but time may have caught up with him this campaign and next year might be best," Heathcote said.

"It's the sign of good horse when you see them let down like he did in the last 200 metres."

Heathcote's earlier wins were with Simmering in the Coca-Cola Handicap (2020m) and Solzhenitsyn in the Eagle Boys Pizza Handicap (1350m).

Heathcote praised jockey Damian Browne for his patience when he had Excellantes travelling midfield.

"Damian's middle name is confidence, that's why I like him," Heathcote said.

Heathcote only returned from an overseas holiday on Sunday and was quick to praise his staff for continuing the stable's great run of success in his absence.

Heathcote has a runaway lead in the Brisbane trainers' premiership and has his third title sewn up.

Earlier trainer Brian Wakefield was rewarded for his hard work in getting Frosty back to the racetrack when the six-year-old scored a commanding two-length win over Multire Music in the Goulburn Valley Juice Open Handicap (1010m).

Wakefield has endured several setbacks with Frosty who was having his first start in 18 months.

Frosty was ready to make his comeback months ago before Wakefield discovered the early signs of a stress fracture.

"He's had too many problems since his last run in January last year but the worst was the makings of a stress fracture," Wakefield said.

"He had some inflammation when he was just about ready to go so we had to tip him out for a long spell.

"Then when he was ready to come back again he was pricked by the farrier and we had to stop again."

Wakefield had hoped to have Frosty back in time for the Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton on Wednesday.

"I really wanted to get him back for the Ramornie but it wasn't to be," Wakefield said.

"I took him to Grafton a few years ago when he won the Guineas there."