There was no exuberant celebration but a great sense of achievement as Tom Dabernig watched from afar as Criterion raced away with the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Dabernig is in his first year of a training partnership with his famous uncle David Hayes, grateful for the opportunity afforded him by the Hall of Fame trainer.

Hayes promoted his nephew to his training partner at Lindsay Park at the start of the season and Saturday's Queen Elizabeth Stakes win was the partnership's second Group One win of the autumn.

It came a few weeks after Spillway led in an Australian Cup quinella for the stable and 20 years after Hayes won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes with that season's Horse of the Year, Jeune.

With Hayes at Randwick to see Criterion dominate Sydney's richest race, Dabernig watched from the weighing room at Flemington racecourse.

As Criterion strode clear in the straight, Dabernig remained calm and collected.

There was no fist pumping. No loud celebrations. Just a satisfied smile and a few congratulatory handshakes from those close by.

He insisted it was a massive thrill.

"For David and Prue Hayes to give me the opportunity to train in partnership, it's something that I've always aspired to do," Dabernig said.

"Obviously I'm part of the family but still I've always looked up to my grandfather (the late Colin Hayes) and uncles and have aspired to follow in their footsteps. It's quite surreal to sit back and see it happening.

"It's hard when you're not there (at Randwick) but the reason we've got a partnership is the way the racing has evolved now and with us often having runners interstate or even overseas, we feel we can do the job justice and provide the owners and everyone the best service possible."

Dabernig said they had been confident heading into the Queen Elizabeth with Criterion.

"From the top of the straight he really grabbed the race by the scruff of the neck and never looked like he was going to get beaten," he said.

"He's just a very good horse."