After having to endure years of chasing the world's finest race mare in races along the eastern seaboard, the well-backed Hartnell not only gave notice of a strong spring, he also put question marks over some of his rivals that struggled behind him.

Trainer James Cummings told jockey Craig Williams by phone on Saturday morning that Hartnell had worked "extremely well" and they expected the horse to be hard to topple.

Although racing on his wrong leg for most of the trip, Hartnell still treated his rivals with contempt just as Winx had done on some many occasions when they met.

Hartnell had the race won a long way from home. After tracking the early leader and brave placegetter Charmed Harmony, Williams slipped Hartnell some more rein where he quickly put the result beyond doubt.

Sent out the $2.80 favourite, Hartnell scored by 2-1/4 lengths from Charmed Harmony ($26) with Black Heart Bart ($3.60) a length away third.

Hartnell is rated Australia's second best galloper and David Charles, the Melbourne representative for Godolphin's Australian trainer James Cummings, congratulated the connections of Winx on her return win.

"It's fantastic that two signature horses for the spring have won first-up," Charles said. "They're in New South Wales and we're in Victoria and at some stage we might meet again. But for now I think we'll just enjoy the day."

Charles said the group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 16 would be Hartnell's next assignment.

He said a decision on whether Hartnell heads towards the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups or tackles Winx in the Cox Plate would be made after that race.

Williams said Hartnell's win was better than it first appears as the gelding raced on his wrong lead leg.

He said the decision to bring Hartnell to Caulfield on Tuesday for a gallop was beneficial.

"If he didn't come here on Tuesday and have a look at the track, he probably still wins but I have more of a disagreement with him around the bend," Williams said. "Today's win and the experience makes him a more seasoned horse here in Victoria."

Black Heart Bart, backed from $4.80 to $3.60, pulled up lame in the near hind leg.

Jockey Brad Rawiller was pleased with the performance. "He was always going to be a little susceptible today with the wet ground," Rawiller said. "But he's been set towards the Memsie so he'll improve greatly from this."

And over in South Australia high class sprinter Lankan Rupee, a one-time champion sprinter of the world put in a career worse performance when finishing out of a pace in the David Coles Spring stakes at Morphettville.

After jumping well Lankan Rupee pushed through and led until the home turn from there he started to struggle and was beaten soon after.

Local sprinter Mio Dio won the race at $14.00 from Lord Aspen at $10.00 with second favourite Casino Wizard a $6.50 chance in third spot.

??? Williams has been slapped with a $2000 fine after loading Hartnell with more weight than he needed to carry in his PB Lawrence Stakes win at Caulfield.

Williams realised when he got to the barriers he was wearing a lighter vest than the one he weighed out in and picked out some tools from a nearby farrier's bag and put them in his boots.

Williams told stewards he panicked when he realised he was riding Hartnell in the lighter vest.

"I realised behind the gates that I had the light vest on and I panicked," Williams said. "My first thought was the horse would be disqualified. I had to make up the weight."

Williams weighed out for the group 2 race at 60.1kg but weighed in at 61.3kg. He had weighed out to ride Hartnell in the heavier vest but before going out to ride him he had also weighed out for the following race in the lighter vest.

Williams went to the farrier's bag and took out a set of clinching tongs and a buffer and put them in his boots.

Chief steward Terry Bailey said the panel had difficulty finding a precedent and the matter would have been worse had Hartnell been beaten a narrow margin.

"If it wasn't so serious it would almost be humorous," Bailey said. "It's an unfortunate situation but it could have been worse."

Williams was fined for $1000 for altering equipment without stewards permission and another $1000 for weighing in more than a half-kilogram above his allocated weight. with AAP