Cellarmaster ($5.50) edged out Platinum Pantheon ($6.50) in a thrilling finish with Rustemo ($8.50) just over a length away third.
Cellarmaster returned a winning dividend at $5.50 according to leading betting sites with sign up bonus, while race favourite Within The Law ($2.60) failed to fire after attracting the bulk of market support.
Within The Law, the $2.60 favourite and a stablemate of Thebudgiesmugla, settled in just behind the leaders early, got an inside run at the top of the straight but didn’t finish her race off and laboured into sixth placing, beaten more than three lengths.
Charlton said Cellarmaster deserved his breakthrough big-race win.
“He enjoys being ridden a bit quieter, and we have learned that with him. It was a good performance,” Charlton said.
“I think he’ll keep improving, he’s definitely not the finished article. He’s a chance to run a bit further in time as well.”
Charlton said after Cellarmaster ran third in the Phar Lap Stakes in Sydney during the autumn carnival, the decision was made to target the Gunsynd Classic at Eagle Farm only to finish fifth to the talented Skyhook.
“We thought the Gunsynd was his sort of race, which it arguably was, but it was a bit stronger than normal because those horses like Skyhook didn’t get a run in the Stradbroke,” Charlton said.
“But this was a touch weaker.
“We’ll give him a break and think about what we do. He is Magic Millions eligible so whether we think late summer prep into the Magic Millions, or whether we give him a couple of weeks off and come into the spring, we need to figure that out.”
