SNOWBALL went from near defeat to win the Latrobe Celebrity Ferret Challenge for Premier Lara Giddings yesterday, in what could be a hopeful election omen.

Snowball raced against Australia Day Ambassador Brian Ritchie's ferret Mini Me and North-West radio personality Henry James, racing Alice.

The celebrity race was a highlight at Latrobe's Henley-On-Mersey, where the animals ran along tunnels and through pipes, with the first ferret to fully emerge from the course the winner.

It began badly for Ms Giddings when Snowball refused to move and Mini Me raced away, only to turn back to the start just before the finish.

Snowball then got going to win, with Alice second and Mini Me last.

The victorious Premier declared Snowball ``a star'' and said she was so proud.

But when the race announcer asked her if she wanted to take Snowball to tomorrow's  sitting of  Parliament, she declined.

``I think there are too many ferrets down there already,'' she said of her parliamentary colleagues.