Trainer Byron Cozamanis admitted he turned away when Michael Rodd took Vatican to the lead in the Doveton Stakes.

But he need not have worried as the sprinter raced to a breakthrough stakes success at Caulfield on Saturday.

Cozamanis wanted Rodd to get cover on the consistent sprinter in the Listed 1000m race but the jockey said Vatican towed him to the front and he wasn't going to restrain him under his big weight.

Vatican ($5.50) travelled well and kicked strongly when challenged to defeat the favourite Loveyamadly ($3.70) by 1-3/4 lengths with another length to Halle Rocks ($17) third.

The victory was a pick-up for Rodd when Billy Egan was ruled out after a fall in the opening race at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

"I'll have to send Bill a little Christmas present this year," Rodd said.

Cozamanis said Egan had a sore elbow, bruised ribs and wouldn't be allowed to ride for a couple of weeks because of concussion.

Vatican had won seven of his 33 starts leading into the Doveton but had never scored in stakes company.

His convincing win has raised the hopes of Cozamanis who plans to give the five-year-old a chance in the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield in February.

"We'll just sit down and make a plan out now," he said.

The trainer's mood was better after the win than it was early in the race.

"He (Rodd) rated him well. I did turn away though when he went to the front," Cozamanis said.

Rodd said he took advantage of what he felt was a lack of pressure.

"He has always been running in those 955 metres races where you've got real helter-skelter horses that you can take a sit behind, but today I couldn't," Rodd said.

"He just towed me to the front and I wasn't going to hand it up with 60 kilos on his back.

"He showed his class. He got to the turn and he put them away quickly."

Loveyamadly loomed in the straight but her challenge was short-lived, weakening on her run.

"She ran well but was first-up and probably just punctured the last 50 metres," jockey Dale Smith said.