Thompson steered 8-year-old gelding Youthful King to his third consecutive cup win with another masterful ride after challenging for the front about 100 metres from home.

It was Thompson’s 10th Jungle Juice Cup win and Sylvester’s seventh emphasising the strength of this lethal combination.

It was also Thompson’s third win in a row for the cup after successes in 2012 on General Sniper, then Youthful King in 2013 when the meeting was transferred to Scone due to wet weather.

Thompson’s first cup winner was Top Hat Joe in 1982 while Sylvester chimed in with his first winner, Pre Record in 1992.

Youthful King went to the top of the honours list for his third win, eclipsing two-time winners Booboo (2006 and 2007) and Cruzado (2008 and 2010).

The win took Youthful King’s record to 12 wins and 14 minor placings from 63 starts with the $15,935 first prizemoney pushing his career earnings to $208,160.

Cessnock Leagues Club CEO, Paul Cousins, who presented the trophy, said the club was proud to support the meeting and the cup which is firmly entrenched as a sporting icon for the city.

Part-owner Delice Watson, who accepted the trophy, said they wanted to dedicate the win to their late fathers Tom Watson, Cyril Sylvester and Arthur Thompson.

Thompson said his mount was always travelling well and only needed to find room at the right time to figure in the finish.

It was an elated Thompson who waved to the crowd as he brought the winner back to scale.

Youthful King started at the good odds of $7 and scored by three-quarters of a length from the $2.70 favourite Aghamore with the well fancied My Man Of War one-and-a-half lengths away in third place.

The meeting provided some exciting finishes with Branxton trainer Noel Boland getting the quinella in the second race with Mambo Fever defeating stablemate Al Fever in a driving finish.

See more photos, including social snaps, from the Jungle Juice Cup here.