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Star four-year-old And Beyond will head to Melbourne in a fortnight still undefeated after the Ken and Tanya Hanson-trained gelding notched his sixth consecutive win in a BM78 handicap (1350m) in Devonport on Sunday.
It might not have been his most impressive win, but he was still able to toy with his rivals where it counted.
Jockey Daniel Ganderton partnered the gelding and settled the big, free-striding son of Wordsmith in last place in the small field of five.
When Ganderton asked his charge to improve 500m from home it was evident he would win but for a fleeting moment in the straight it appeared as if he might be struggling to gain the upper hand.
"I always felt he had the others covered even when we were at the back of the field but about 400m out he sort of went off-stride and felt a bit uncomfortable in his action and I got a bit anxious," Ganderton said.
"But he regained his momentum, and, in the end, it was an effortless win, albeit by a narrow margin (short head)."
Co-trainer Tanya Hanson was pleased with the effort and confirmed the gelding would be aimed at a benchmark 78 handicap over 1400m at Caulfield on 24 July.
And Beyond has won five in Tasmania and a benchmark race at Sandown in Melbourne two starts back, taking his career stake earnings to almost $90,000.
It was the second leg of a winning double for Ganderton who also partnered exciting two-year-old Alpine Wolf to another impressive win.
Alpine Wolf impressed on debut two weeks ago in a maiden 2YO event, but this was a big step up in class with good opposition, but he still did it with consummate ease.
The Alpine Eagle gelding settled midfield and when Ganderton called on the Barry Campbell-trained youngster to extend he quickly gathered in the leaders and went on to score by 1-1/2 lengths from Coeur De Lyon with race leader Neutralize a length astern.
Campbell said Alpine Wolf would most likely be sent for a spell.