In a stretch battle to the wire between favoured Further and Beyond and 9-1 shot Miniature Man, the result was a dead heat as there was nothing from the photo-finish camera to separate the top two in the inaugural running of $3-million Kingston Stakes feature over seven-and-a-half furlongs (1,500m) at Caymanas Park yesterday.

Further and Beyond, the champion two-year-old from last season, was held just off the pace by jockey Dane Nelson behind Regnant (Shane Ellis) and Billy Whizz (Anthony Thomas), while Miniature Man, under Dick Cardenas, raced in mid-pack at the off.

The runners maintained their gallops down the backstretch until Further and Beyond surrounded horses to pick up the lead approaching the distance, while Miniature Man was getting closer to the leaders.

In deep stretch, Further and Beyond, who was totting top weight of 57.0kgs (126 lb), began to shorten in the closing stages of the race, but Nelson with his bustling riding style kept his mount well balanced as Miniature Man, totting 53.okgs (117 lb), came on the outside and caught Further and Beyond at the wire.

After a review, the race was declared a dead heat.

Regal and Royal, under Tevin Foster, snatched third, while Billy Whizz finished fourth in the 12-horse field. After splits of 24.1 x 47.3 x 1:12.2, the final time was 1:34.1.

Further and Beyond, trained by Anthony Nunes, was registering his fourth-consecutive win, while Miniature Man, trained by Jason DaCosta, was scoring back-to-back wins.

The Kingston Stakes, a native-bred three-year-old Graded Stakes event for colts and geldings, was the final major preparation race heading into the Classic series of races, starting with the 1000 and Guineas races on June 5.

The win by Miniature Man was Cardenas’ third winner on the day and DaCosta’s second. Cardenas had earlier won aboard Casual Peach for trainer Michael Marlowe in the third race and Rum With Me for trainer Patrick Lynch in the seventh race. DaCosta had saddled Sir John (Anthony Thomas) in the fourth race for his double.

Also Marlowe saddled Nala’s Bushman (Shane Ellis) in the first race for his double and Thomas won aboard Miss Hillington for trainer Steven Todd in the eighth race for his double.

Racing continues next Saturday.