Gracious Prospect is on his way to the Magic Millions after an all-the-way win at Flemington on Saturday.

Gracious Prospect ($6), with Katelyn Mallyon aboard, held off the favourite Star Beauty ($3.90) by a half neck in the Primacy Handicap (1420m).

Adirondack ($6) finished a long neck away third.

Trainer David Hayes is taking the Christmas week off and raceday duties were left to foreman Bruno Rouge-Serret.

He said Gracious Prospect, a $21 chance in the Magic Millions Guineas, would be targeted at the $1 million race.

"I was always confident with 200 to go that he was going to hang on even if the other horse got alongside him," said Rouge-Serret.

"He's got a lot of heart in him and David's plans are to send him to Queensland for the Magic Millions three-year-old race."

He said his front-running style would suit the tight track at the Gold Coast.

It was Gracious Prospect's first city win and only the second victory in his career which began just over 12 months ago.

Mallyon said she went into the race prepared to see how the early stages unfolded before declaring her intentions.

"No-one really wanted to lead so I took it up and he found a beautiful rhythm and gave me a great kick," she said.