Lloyd Williams will spend the next 24 hours weighing up whether to run Herbert Power Stakes winner Sea Moon in the Caulfield Cup.
Sea Moon did everything right in the slowly run Group Two at Caulfield on Saturday as he wore down the leader Oasis Bloom.
Jockey Hugh Bowman said Sea Moon, the $3.50 favourite, did not possess an explosive turn of speed but loved a fight and when he asked for more, the horse answered.
He got home by three quarters of a length from Oasis Bloom ($11) with Irish stayer Simenon ($8.50), making his first appearance in Australia, a short head further back in third.
The owners now have to decide whether to run Sea Moon for a third consecutive week in next week's Caulfield Cup, along with stablemate and last year's Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon.
Williams's son and part-owner Nick was showing no hard feelings against stewards who demoted Sea Moon to second on protest at Flemington last week.
"They copped an unfair blast, I had no problems with their decision," he said.
"But we thought last week was a little inconclusive and we really wanted to find out about this horse.
"The horse has shown that he's really improved from last week but we'll make a decision in the next 24 hours whether we will pay up on Tuesday and be back here next Saturday or rest him and find another route to the Melbourne Cup."
The victory brought Sea Moon's Caulfield Cup odds in from $26 to $11.
Bowman said he had to wait until Sea Moon was balanced before asking him for the supreme effort.
"When he gets to Flemington he will be a better horse," Bowman said.