More than four decades after he won the City Tattersalls Club Cup as a jockey, trainer Ron Quinton celebrated the win by Crafty Irna who dashed a few Melbourne Cup dreams in the process at Randwick on Saturday.

The victory was especially dear to Quinton with his 18-year-old apprentice Sam Clipperton driving the mare hard to the line to get the nod in a photo finish over The Verminator and Western Symbol.

Quinton, who won the 2400m race in 1969 aboard Rainbow King, was full of praise for Clipperton.

"I'm just so proud of him," Quinton said.

"It was beautiful for him and I'm so pleased the owners gave him a chance.

"She's a mare who was going to the paddock after the Metropolitan so I'm glad we ran her here today."

Favourite Dare To Dream ($2.80) was out the back early and made a little ground late under hard riding from Darren Gauci to finish seventh, 4-1/2 lengths from the winner.

Trained by Bart Cummings, the former European was having his third Australian start in an attempt to pass the first ballot clause for the Melbourne Cup.

Cummings was critical of the hard track at Randwick.

"They should give it some water," he said.

Dare To Dream's last hope of getting into the Cup would be the Lexus Stakes at Flemington in two weeks.

Crafty Irna ($14) beat The Verminator ($41) by a short half head with Western Symbol ($5.50) a nose third.

Another former European, Less Is More, finished eighth.

Trainer Chris Waller said The Verminator was likely to be aimed at the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in Melbourne while the Gai Waterhouse-trained Western Symbol is still in the Melbourne Cup mix.

While there were disappointments, there were only smiles from Clipperton who lauded his boss.

"It's such an honour to be under an apprenticeship with a man like that," he said.

"For a small team of horses he's not afraid to give me an opportunity.

"He's always got owners to look after, and the owners understandably want the big jockeys but Ron's never afraid to give me an opportunity and I'm very grateful for that.

"I actually ride all her trackwork and she's a very consistent sort of horse. Unfortunately she just doesn't win very often but today we had a lovely run in the race but she's done a good job winning."