Two horses carrying the least of Anthony Cummings' weekend expectations delivered timely wins for the trainer at Warwick Farm on Sunday.

Cummings had hopes for stakes success with Cluster and Drago but he admitted he was left deflated when they were beaten into the minor placing in the Stutt Stakes and Gloaming Stakes respectively.

It turned out to be nothing compared to the roller-coaster ride he experienced with runners in two states on Sunday.

His mood brightened when Surge Ahead kept an unbeaten record at Warwick Farm before he was left to rue an agonising defeat with Fontelina in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.

Fontelina looked set for his first Group One win until it was snatched from him by fellow Sydney sprinter Rebel Dane in the last stride.

But the stable didn't have to wait long for a consolation with the three-year-old filly Federica giving it a Warwick Farm double as Cummings could only reflect on what might have been over three days of racing.

"There's always next week, that's what they say isn't it?" Cummings said.

"In the run the Rupert Clarke worked out exactly as we planned and the horse has run out of his skin without winning."

Cummings expects Surge Ahead and possibly Federica to join Fontelina in Melbourne during the spring carnival.

Surge Ahead was trapped on a limb underneath Jason Collett but the gelding underlined his promise to defy a wall of challengers.

"Mentally he was a lot tougher today and he did a really good job," Cummings said.

"When he lengthened he looked very good and it gives you some hope towards the better races."

Cummings will target a Victoria Derby day feature with the Gooree-owned galloper.

Federica is a filly Cummimgs says would have been in contention for a Flight Stakes start on Saturday.

"She got away one day about three months ago and cut her tongue and that put her back," he said.

"I had her name written down as an Oaks filly but I didn't nominate her in the end because it would have come up too soon for her."