Professional sprinters arrived from all over Australia to test their mettle at Queanbeyan Park for the third richest footrace in the country.

The ACT's Brendan Matthews, from Kaleen, snatched the Queanbeyan Leagues Club Gift with a blistering run of 12.45 seconds from a generous 9.5 metre handicap to pick up the lion's share of the $14,000 in prize money. In windy and wet conditions Matthews, who finished second last year, disposed of his challengers to take out the coveted 2008 Gift.

Another of the ACT contingent, Lauren Boden from Palmerston, took out the Les McIntyre Women's Gift in her fourth attempt, with a time of 14.07 sec from a 4.5m handicap. Boden, who has made the finals in four consecutive appearances, flew home past second place Catherine Wild-Taylor, off a 9.5m handicap, to grab the $4,000 prize money.

Queanbeyan hopeful Patrick Elliott narrowly missed out on the final but did manage his best result in three Gifts with a third in the semi-final.

Elliott's coach Matt Beckenham said he didn't quite get the time for a finals spot.

``His mark was a bit tight for him to get through,'' Beckenham said. Elliott recently posted an 11.20 sec over 100m and the handicappers jumped on the Queanbeyan quickster for the race, hampering his tilt for the Gift this year.

Beckenham said Elliott would race in a $10,000 gift in north Sydney on December 12 and hoped the runner could emulate some of his form from last year where he won the Blacktown Gift.

As for next year, Beckenham said Elliott would be back for his fourth shot at the Gift.

``Next year we'll be back bigger and better. Next year we hope to get another half a metre, he will be more experienced then and hope fully he can make the final,'' Beckenham said.

It was a big day out at Queanbeyan Park for Beckenham, who trained the winners of the men's and women's Gifts along with the men's and women's backmarkers handicap winners. In total his team took more than half the $30,000 on offer.