A well-judged ride from Linda Meech has paved the way for a Flemington win for Golden Oldies.
Meech replaced Chelsea Hall in the Ken Cox Handicap on Saturday, but relied on the advice of the apprentice in scoring a hard-fought victory.
Hall had ridden the three-year-old to success at Swan Hill on June 5.
Apprenticed to Golden Oldies' trainer Terry O'Sullivan and his daughter Karina, Hall made the trip to Flemington from Stawell to be a part of the victory.
Meeting with $21 to $17 support, Golden Oldies made the running and scored a half-neck win over Warrior King ($8) with Quedoutes ($9) 1-3/4 lengths away third.
"Chelsea Hall said to me the harder you pull against him the harder he pulls," Meech said.
"So I let him slide out and Terry said don't be scared to go a little bit early.
"He responded well and I think they've got a nice, handy horse on their hands."
Terry O'Sullivan said Golden Oldies was well rated by Meech, keeping up a solid gallop.
"That's one of her better attributes, she rates horses very well in front," he said.
O'Sullivan said Golden Oldies would now head to a 2000m race at Caulfield on July 4 before stepping up in distance.
"We'd like to press on to a 2400-metre race at the end of July," O'Sullivan said.
"After that we can give him a bit of a rest, give him the spring and see where we get to after that."