Gai Waterhouse and Tommy Berry have set the tone for the Sydney spring carnival in winning the first Group race with Sweet Idea.

The tenacious mare led all the way under Berry to take out the Group Two Missile Stakes (1200m) in a close finish from Messene and Rebel Dane.

Recently crowned NSW Horse of the Year Boban was an eye-catching fourth with his jockey Glyn Schofield believing he did not get a fair start.

But all honours belonged with Sweet Idea, who was sent out at $4, as was Messene with Rebel Dane the $3.40 favourite.

"She is very tough and she did it all herself," Berry said.

"She bottomed out at the 100 metres but just kept going. Even when she bled she only got beaten a short half head."

Third in the 2013 Golden Slipper, Sweet Idea missed most of last spring when she bled in the Silver Shadow Stakes won by Thump, who finished last in the Missile.

Sweet Idea was a short half head from a Group One victory in the autumn when second to Steps In Time in the Coolmore and Saturday was her first start since she was unplaced on a heavy track in the TJ Smith Stakes.

"She has won almost $2 million without winning a Group One race and she deserves one," Waterhouse's representative Mark Newnham said.

"Gai's plan is to run her in the Warwick Stakes in two weeks then look at Group One races in Melbourne.

"The Rupert Clarke Stakes and the Myer Classic are races on the radar."

Schofield was happy with Boban's finish but unhappy with the beginning.

"He was propping in the barriers and the starter wasn't happy to wait much longer and let us go when we weren't ready," Schofield said.

"He didn't give us the opportunity to start on level terms because we were on our back legs," Schofield said.

"At that distance and tempo he was too far out of his ground to win."

Rebel Dane's trainer Gary Portelli said he was happy with the run as did his jockey Blake Shinn.

"It was a good effort although he just didn't give me the three lengths I was hoping for."