In doing so he also completed a family double by winning the feature race his uncle won almost half a century ago.

Despite threatening weather all afternoon the Wangaratta Sports Carnival event ahead without interruption with former local James Alexander winning the 800 metres and promising cyclist Thomas McDonald, 16, taking out the open wheelrace.

Tancredi won the Rye Gift two weeks earlier and held a clear margin at the finish line of the gift despite being the second back marker in the final.

Athletics organiser Greg O’Keefe said it was a convincing win.

“He was off 7.5 metres and giving almost 4 metres to the front marker but he was clearly too good,” he said.

“He is in great from — finishing second at Daylesford around New Year, winning at Rye and then being re-handicapped and winning here.

“It was a great night for former local Alexander too — he won the 800 metres off just 10 metres, which is a pretty tight mark, and then turned around and ran second in the 400 metres.”

Sports carnival organiser Graeme Taylor said McDonald, who won the national under 17 individual pursuit early last year, was outstanding in his come from behind win in the 2000-metres open wheelrace.

The Victorian Institute of Sport rider mowed down pre-race favourite Ben Abels.

“Abels has won just about everything he has raced in this summer ... but McDonald was able to come from behind and get the better of him,” Taylor said.