But the result was not quite what most punters expected, as Weir's four-year-old Palentino, a $9 shot ridden by Mark Zahra, got the better of the hot favourite  Black Heart Bart ($2.05), ridden by Damien Oliver, in the 1600-metre contest.

The pair fought an enthralling duel through the final 200 metres of the long Flemington straight, the  colt getting the better of the  gelding to score by a length. The David Hayes trained $13 shot He Or She, ridden by Craig Williams, ran right up to his best to take third place two lengths adrift.

Palentino had looked slightly disappointing at his last start - his second appearance of the current campaign - when  fifth, five lengths behind Black Heart Bart in the  Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

But the return to the wide expanses of Flemington, a track where he always puts his best foot forward, suited him to perfection.

All three of the son of Teofilio's metropolitan wins have come at headquarters, where the long straight allows him to wind up and unleash his turn of foot. He showed himself to be a colt of high quality in the autumn, winning the stallion-making Australian Guineas over the same course and distance having previously "won " the CS Hayes Stakes over Flemington's 1400 metres before being relegated to second.

Black Heart Bart, stepping up to 1600 metres having been campaigned in group 1 company over shorter trips since joining the Weir stable last season, lost nothing in defeat, striking the front 400 metres out before being headed.

Weir admitted that he had changed his initial spring plans with Palentino, whom he had earlier regarded as the type who could do well in group 1 handicaps over 1400 metres and 1600 metres, races such as the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and the Toorak Handicap.

Now the Cox Plate is very much on Palentino's agenda.

"I was a little worried about him in the yard, but when he jumped he probably got  further back than we were expecting, but he was settled and he was just going through the motions," Weir said. "He got a beautiful ride, and even when he got to the outside of him  [Black Heart Bart] I didn't know if he would get past him, but I thought he would test him.

"He was always going to be a little bit vulnerable in those first couple of runs, but he's come on and got the job done today.

"Sun Stud [who purchased the colt after his Australian Guineas win]  have put a massive investment into the horse.  To win a mile race as four-year-old is very important for his stud career.  I don't think it will be the last one he wins either.

"This is the race he was aimed towards, and if he measured up he will obviously head towards the Cox Plate. We will have to map out a plan for that now.

"I thought Black Heart Bart  ran very bravely, he got a beautiful run," Weir said.

Zahra is looking forward to the Cox Plate, but wishes that it was being run at Flemington.

"You would love the Cox Plate to be here. The way he settled and hit the line today, there's no reason not to go for it. You are going to go up in trip on a tight track, but he is getting better with racing.

"You have to think a little bit about the distance, but the way he raced today, if he can take those manners forward he will be very hard to beat

Weir will also be enthused by the performance of last year's Melbourne Cup hero, Prince Of Penzance. The gelding went off as an $81 chance over an unsuitably short distance, but showed that he was coming good gradually with a slashing sixth, making up six places over the last 800 metres. He will be right in the mix when the distances get longer.