One look at Saint Or Sinner in the pre-race parade at Flemington on Saturday filled jockey Glen Boss with confidence.
And nothing the horse did in the few minutes after changed that as the in-form gelding raced to victory in the Saintly Handicap.
Saint Or Sinner ($2.40) went into the race after wins at Werribee and Mornington and gave favourite backers no reason to worry as he followed the leaders in a slowly run event.
The margin was only a short neck over Backstedt ($11) but the result never looked in doubt.
"He just looked like the winner walking around the enclosure," Boss said.
"It looked like he was walking around with a good deal or purpose about him and that's what he felt like as soon as I got on his back."
Commanding Time ($5) finished 1-3/4 lengths away third.
Trainer Mike Moroney labelled the win "pretty painless" and said the $100,000 Yarra Valley Cup on March 16 was an option for Saint Or Sinner's next start.
"I said to Bossy the only thing that I thought could beat him was if he arrived in front too soon, and he just did it perfectly," Moroney said.
"He was going to win by a bigger margin but he just knocks off when he hits the front."
Saint Or Sinner took his record to five wins from 12 starts.