Sydney private equity group Roc Partners has seized the advantage in a back-and-forth tussle for control of Vitalharvest Freehold Trust, trumping its rival Macquarie with a sweetened $218.3 million offer.

Roc sprang into action with a better offer at $1.18 per unit in the trust just a day after Macquarie had improved its own bid at $1.16, to match an earlier offer of the same amount from Roc.