The Shepparton resident pocketed $250,000 for being the owner ambassador of the All-Star Mile winning Mugatoo ($8).
Forys, a 2011 premiership player with Shepparton United, earned the ambassador tag through a Tabcorp competition.
As the rain bucketed down at The Valley following the race, Forys and his wife, Amanda, spoke to Racing.com about the life-changing win.
“It's going to take a little while to sink in I think,� Forys said.
“What a ride by Hughey. I just can't believe it.
“It probably couldn't have come at a better time, with finalising house plans it's just going to make a hell of a lot of a difference for us.
“It's life changing. Absolutely life changing.�
Matt Forys has just won $250k! 💰— Racing.com (@Racing) A day that he will never forget! 🤩@allstarmile @TheValley pic.twitter.com/FAPCAsSlH0March 13, 2021
It was a thrilling race, with the Kris Lees-trained Mugatoo edging out Kyabram-born trainer Danny O'Brien's Russian Camelot in the dying stages.
A peach of a ride from jockey Hugh Bowman delivered the couple its fairy-tale.
Stuck on the inside rail, Bowman found space on the Valley's tight bend, squeezing between Behemoth and The Harrovian in the final 200m and pushed through to challenge leader Russian Camelot.
Mugatoo kicked clear in the final 100m and stormed home to win by half-a-length.
Amanda relived the 1600m race, revealing how the couple's emotions ebbed and flowed throughout the captivating event.
“It went so quickly but so slowly in the rain, it was unbelievable,� she said.
“He (Matt) turned to me about halfway and said ‘he's stuck on the barrier, it's not happening’ and then he turned around and said ‘it's happening’ . . . as quick as that it was all over.�
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