Ben Melham delivered on a plan aboard All Cerise after navigating an unconventional path to victory at Flemington.
All Cerise finished closer to the outside fence than the inside when she won Saturday’s Barrie Kerr Handicap by 2-1/2 lengths over Vital Importance with a long head to Ginali third.
Melham led on the Chris Waller-trained mare in the 1600m race and when he straightened up the jockey began angling wider to the middle of the track.
“I just had a look at the track and thought it was significantly quicker out there,” he said.
“We had a soft lead and I was able to get out there easy enough and I just felt that strip, out where I was, was definitely better.
“I spoke to connections obviously and told them I was going to do that and said `would there be a problem’, and I didn’t get a rejection.
“So I was happy to go there.”
All Cerise had done all her racing in Sydney and was having her first Melbourne start at her 26th race appearance.