A battle fought on the racetrack, in the sauna and in the operating theatre was won by jockey Brad McLean at Warrnambool on Tuesday.

McLean, who also featured in one of Victorian racing's more unseemly recent episodes, scored a family victory and a local triumph on Cat's Fun in the Brierly Steeplechase (3450m).

One of Australia's best cross-country jockeys until a couple of seasons ago, McLean almost gave the game after suffering sever shoulder injuries that led to ballooning weight.

Reconstruction surgery last August fixed the shoulders leaving McLean with the daunting problem of shedding around 20kg.

A strict diet and hours in the sauna fixed that and his brother Jarrod and Cat's Fun have done the rest.

Jarrod McLean, who trains the winner, gave all the praise to his brother.

"This is all about Brad," he said.

"If he hadn't had so many issues he'd be the top jumps jockey in this country.

"He's had a tough time over the past few weeks, he deserves this."

Brad McLean compounded his medical difficulties with his involvement in a scandal involving his sister-in-law which was played out in front of the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board last week.

That episode left his estranged wife, Nikita, serving a 2-1/2 month suspension and their marriage in tatters.

Like four of the five winners that had saluted before him on the opening day of the three-day carnival, Cat's Fun is trained locally and his 10 owners are all from the Warrnambool area.

In a field that raced as a tight pack for most of the race, Cat's Fun ($7) was at the rear until the 800m when McLean weaved a path that led him to the front before the last fence.

He then sprinted away to score by 4-1/4 lengths from Banna Strand who held off Berlioz by a head.

The Brierly, the traditional lead-up to Thursday's Grand Annual Steeplechase, may have cost the feature dearly.

Of the Grand Annual runners who ran on Tuesday, Via Savoia fell and is unlikely to take its place on Thursday and the firm track seems certain to influence trainer Ciaron Maher to keep Regal Heir at home after his unplaced Brierly effort.