A breakthrough win by Good Job Bro at Warwick Farm on Saturday has fuelled the Golden Slipper dream, especially if the track should be wet.
The two-year-old Choisir colt was backed from $4.60 to $4 late and handled the heavy 9 track with ease, cruising to a 2-3/4 length victory over Calming Influence ($4) who eased from $2.30 to start equal favourite in the Darby Racing Handicap (1200m).
With trainer John Sargent in his native New Zealand, Sydney foreman Andrew Carsten said confidence had been high when the rain came.
"He trialled well on a slow track so the rain was a bonus for us," Carsten said.
"The Golden Slipper is in our minds but there is a fair way to go to that race so we'll just see how he comes through."
Good Job Bro finished second at his first two starts, the most recent when runner-up to Guelph.
Rockford ($11) lost his momentum when he clipped heels down the back straight and finished last while his Gai Waterhouse-trained stablemate Marseille Roulette ($5.50) weakened to seventh after leading to the home turn.
The wet track also underlined the versatility of Zin Zan Eddie in the Eastern Creek Tavern Handicap (1400m) for three-year-olds.
The Matthew Smith-trained gelding racked up his third successive win when he steamed down the outside to beat Diamond Drille by three lengths with favourite Knoydart a short half head third.
Smith said he would assess Zin Zan Eddie's future with a step up to better races in mind.
"I had the Canberra Guineas next month in mind but he is also an Inglis bonus horse so he is eligible for the Scone Guineas in May," he said.
"He might have a break now and get set for Scone or we might go to Canberra first.
"I think now he is up to races like those."