Compact gelding Pah Terie has finally switched on to earn a bonus win and upset two well-backed favourites at Doomben.

In a muddling race on Saturday, Pah Terie ($6) surprised even trainer Kelly Schweida when he got up to beat Lady Lark ($3) by 1-1/2 lengths in the Two-Year-Old Handicap (1350m).

Heavily backed favourite Ruby Red Heart ($2) was a short neck back in third.

Pah Terie had only his second start after coming fourth in a two-year-old race on February 8.

Schweida said Pah Terie had not shown him a great deal around the stables and in track work.

"Let's put it this way - he has been in a dark room and finally switched on the light today," Schweida said.

"I have always thought he might be a 1600m to 2000m horse so I thought stepping up from 1000m to 1350m would suit him.

"Today's win was a bonus but we might have a look at the longer races in the winter now."

Pah Terie cost $40,000 as a yearling and picked up $64,000 in prize money and bonus payments.

Winning jockey Jeff Lloyd said Pah Terie indicated he would be better over even more ground after running into trouble at 700m.

"He's a nice little horse with a future," he said.

Lani Fancourt, who rode Lady Lark, and Luke Dittman, who was on Ruby Red Heart, said their mounts were not suited to a muddling pace.