Jockey Damien Browne was rewarded for some pre-race study when New Zealand mare Quintessential scored her first win in nearly a year at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Quintessential was one of the stars of the winter carnival in 2012 but had not won since the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m).

Browne, who rode in Quintessential in her Oaks win, had intended to ride the mare back in the field in Saturday's Group Three Chairman's Handicap (2100m).

However, when heavy rain fell at Eagle Farm Browne noted that the winners were racing up on the pace.

"I decided we would go forward and John (trainer John Sargent) agreed," Browne said.

"We got a lovely run behind the leader and she hit the lead at the top of the straight and fought on well."

Quintessential ($7) beat Rothera ($16) by a half length with a length to Sysmo ($6) in third.

The mare, who also ran second in the Queensland Derby behind Brambles last year, will now be set for the Group Two Brisbane Cup on June 8.

Sargent is confident Quintessential is back to her best and will be a real chance in the Brisbane Cup.

"She just wasn't herself in the spring. She just didn't fire but we gave her a break and looked to the winter," he said.

Quintessential will have one more run before tackling the Brisbane Cup but Sargent is yet to decide where.

"There are a couple of suitable races as lead ups and we will just wait until we see how she pulls up," Sargent said.

Sargent has a team at at Warwick Farm in Sydney and hopes to move his entire stable there later this year.

Rothera again showed his love of wet tracks by rattling home for second.

Jockey Ric McMahon said in another 50m Rothera would have made the race "interesting".