A late burst of acceleration from Vain Attraction has earned the mare her first win since 2012 at Caulfield.

Vain Attraction ($16) settled back in the field in Sunday's Citiopera Plate (1100m) with cover from the wind before Michelle Payne drove her hard over the final 100m to score a narrow victory.

It was Vain Attraction's first win since joining the Darren Weir stable last year from Robbie Griffiths and her first since December 2012.

"To be honest we had done a terrible job until then, the horse had gone backwards since coming to me," Weir said.

"But I think riding her that was is the key. You've just got to ride for luck and hold her up for as long as you can because she has only got a 200-metre sprint."

Payne said everything worked out perfectly for Vain Attraction, who overhauled Chiquada ($31) by a head with Miss Steele three quarters of a length away third.

"I was a little bit further back than I wanted to be but I let her find her feet, got onto the back of the right horses and when a split came she was electric through the gaps," Payne said.