A half-sister to South Australian Derby winner Escado lived up to her pedigree and won the Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes in a finish so close even the winning jockey thought he had lost at Flemington on Saturday.

Se Sauver ($17) showed her grit to fight off a last-ditch challenge from Star Fashion ($16) to win by a nose with Solicit ($11) third - a length away.

Mornington trainer Matt Laurie trains Escado and he bought Se Sauver for $40,000 because of the pedigree.

Star Fashion's jockey Chad Schofield protested, claiming that Se Sauver had laid in on him 200m out but it was quickly dismissed.

Laurie took Se Saveur to Pakenham a month ago to get her maiden victory out of the way, or in his words, "to get a kill".

"I've liked this horse from the beginning, she's run a good race every start with no luck and thought she was well and truly a shot today," Laurie said.

He said her main target this campaign would be the $500,000 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on October 16.

"She well and truly deserves a run in the Thousand Guineas," Laurie said.

"It was a tough effort, she was a little off the bridle and had to work hard."

Jockey Damian Lane said he was optimistic going into the race and thought she could do enough to win.

"We went tooth and nail up the straight and I thought right on the line that Star Fashion had got the better of me, but obviously we got the bob in," he said.

"She's been without luck but I knew she had it in her," he said.