Rising 10-year-old Mitanni appreciated the firmer track and returned to his best form when he ran a race record and notched his 20th win in Saturday's Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich.Mitanni dashed away from his rivals halfway down the straight in the 1350m feature and young rider Brent Evans had time to raise his hand high in the air in a victory salute as he scored his biggest win."When he got to the front he just kept going. It was a great feeling," Evans said.Evans said he was pleased trainer Jo

Rising 10-year-old Mitanni appreciated the firmer track and returned to his best form when he ran a race record and notched his 20th win in Saturday's Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich.

Mitanni dashed away from his rivals halfway down the straight in the 1350m feature and young rider Brent Evans had time to raise his hand high in the air in a victory salute as he scored his biggest win.

"When he got to the front he just kept going. It was a great feeling," Evans said.

Evans said he was pleased trainer John Wallace had chosen him to ride the horse even though he is an apprentice and it was a non-claiming event.

"John showed a lot of faith in me and I was just pleased I could justify it," he said.

Mitanni was a noted wet tracker early in his career but has turned into a wet track duffer and performed dismally in the QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm last start.

Mitanni beat only two horses home at Eagle Farm but it was different story on Saturday as he took his stakes to more than $1.16 million.

Wallace did not attend the meeting and stayed at the Gold Coast to saddle other runners.

While Mitanni was impressive there were excuses for runner-up Mr Hornblower and third-placed Voice Commander.

Mr Hornblower made the home turn very wide and trainer Tracy Green said she believed it had cost him the race.

"They've run a race record and I really couldn't have asked any more of him," Green said.

Green said Mr Hornblower would spend the next week in a paddock before coming back into work for a shot at the Ramornie (1200m) at Grafton on July 15.

"He goes well after a break and that's the way I like to train him," Green said.

Canberra trainer Nick Olive said Voice Commander was always trapped wide after drawing the second outside gate.

"I thought under the circumstances it was a fantastic run. If we draw a gate we win for sure," Olive said.

Mitanni ($15) scored by three-quarters of a length over Mr Hornblower ($17) with Voice Commander ($17) a long head away third.

The $3.60 favourite Maxisun finished fourth but trainer Tony Vasil said the horse was not suited by the tight track.

"The bigger track at Caloundra (for the Listed Glasshouse Handicap on June 27) will help him," Vasil said.

Jockey Larry Cassidy said Maxisun was trapped on the fence and it was the worst place for him.

"He really didn't want to be there but I had no other choice and I thought if he'd got out from the rail it would have been another story," Cassidy said.