Slowly maturing Tavistock gelding Foreign Territory gave the training partnership of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott the ideal start to Monday's meeting with a commanding performance at his second start in the Casino Prince@Vinery Handicap (1400m).
The three-year-old hung out on debut over 1100m at Gosford last month, but made amends with a front-running win by three lengths.
Bott said the $2.25 favourite appreciated the step up in trip and would improve again over longer distances.
The Bald Eagle ($6) led the chasers and finished 2-1/4 lengths clear of Time Of Glory ($9).
Foreign Territory has finally developed into the horse Waterhouse and Bott anticipated.
"It's only in the last six months he's started to furnish," Bott said.
"It's almost as if one day it really just clicked and he went on an upward spiral very quickly."
A graduate of the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, Foreign Territory was purchased by Darby Racing For NZ$65,000 from the draft of Diamond Lodge. Out of the 12-time winning mare Pinzee, Foreign Territory was initially sold as a yearling for NZ$50,000 through Bradbury Park.