The six year-old, who was ridden by Clare Lindop, battled on well despite a slow mid-race tempo, which trainer Terry O'Sullivan believes all but cost him victory.

``They just walked and it made it impossible. He was making ground slowly,'' he said.

``I thought Clare did the right thing, but in hindsight she probably might as well have kept going (forward). She thought she better give him a rest from the 1000m to the turn, but now I think she may as well kept rolling.

``The two leaders ran first and second. He actually ran the quickest last 600m and last 200m of the race.''

``He actually ran really, really well. I think if we had have had a bit of mid-race pace then he would have won.''

Dolphin Jo will now progress onto Saturday's group two Winning Edge Presentations Stakes over 2400m at Caulfield. Here, Dolphin Jo may meet recent JRA Cup winner Cefalu.

``Cefalu will be in it so you know there is going to be good speed,'' O'Sullivan said.

``It will be interesting, we are looking forward to running.''

Dolphin Jo will then progress onto the Moonee Valley Cup on Cox Plate Day before a likely start in the Melbourne Cup on November 4.

- Stablemate Poised To Win is likely to target the Cranbourne Cup as his next start.

O'Sullivan said he would also enter the horse in Saturday's Yalumba Stakes, but was unlikely to run with topline gallopers such as Pompeii Ruler and Zipping both heading towards the race.

- Ladies In Luck was unlucky not to have added a Murtoa Cup to her impressive resume on Saturday when she was nosed out by veteran Methodical Boy.

Most thought Ladies In Luck had won the race, but the photo finish revealed the 10 year-old Michael O'Leary star as the winner.

The victory was Methodical Boy's second Murtoa Cup and connections are now considering a tilt at the Horsham Cup on Sunday, October 19.