A privileged education and a lot of hard work came together to give trainer Henry Dwyer his first city winner when Mendivil scored at Sandown on Sunday.

Dwyer spent six years working for trainer Robert Smerdon and another couple in the Lloyd Williams operation before taking out his own licence a year ago.

"I've been lucky enough to work for some of the best stables around ... I hope it rubs off," Dwyer said.

In a race of breakthroughs, Mendivil's win in the Le Pine Funerals Handicap (2100m) provided apprentice Patrick Moloney with his first city double.

And Dwyer declared the youngster's ride made the difference.

"Senior jockeys have been riding him too pretty and getting beaten," he said.

"He's a boy's horse, and Patrick rode him exactly to instructions.

"It was a perfect ride."

Mendivil's supporters, however, might have wondered when the horse got mixed up in a three-way battle for the lead until Moloney kicked him clear entering the straight.

The gelding held on strongly to beat Sea Skye by a length with a 4-1/4 lengths to Spirited Will in third place.