Golden Slipper winner Frank Cleary was just starting out as a trainer when Kevin Sweeney was an apprentice jockey, which made By Virtue's win in the Kevin Sweeney Career Tribute (1200 metres) all the more special.
Jockey John Kissick was also honoured to win the race, at Queanbeyan on Monday, dedicated to the recently retired hoop who always called him "gorgeous".
Baby She Rocks set the early pace before By Virtue loomed up around the home turn and dashed away to leave the rest of the field in her wake as she romped to a three-length win from Abbalac, with Superb a further 1.5 lengths back in third.
Cleary was delighted to win a race named in honour of his long-time friend.
Sweeney retired two weeks ago at Nowra after 46 years in the saddle.
"Kevin rode for me for a lot of years, we've been mates for a lot of years. To win that race, Sweeney would be happy with that I'd say, two golden oldies," Cleary said.
"We would've won more than 100 races together over the years.
"When your friendship goes back so far. I remember him as an apprentice and I was only kicking off as a young trainer myself.
"To watch everything develop over the years. I know when I won the Golden Slipper with Catbird he was probably the first bloke on the phone to congratulate me."
Kissick said Sweeney's colourful personality would be missed in the jockeys' room.
He said Sweeney had been a mentor to him and knew all the tricks in the book.
"Kev was a great mentor to not only me but all the riders in the room. He knows every trick in the book Kevie and he's a great character and a really good person," Kissick said.
"He was a good mentor for apprentices and someone to look up to, it was great to win it for him."
Queanbeyan has added an extra meet over winter, on July 11, to break up the usual three-month break.
Meanwhile, Garry Clarke will take Oh So Adorable to Canterbury to run in the benchmark 75 handicap (1100m) on Wednesday.
