The lone filly in the field, the former New Zealander Verona did best in a slogging finish in the Group III Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick.
Ridden by Willie Pike for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, the daughter of Belardo (IRE), rode close to the speed and kept on strongly to defeat the pacesetting Maurice's Medad (Maurice) by one and a half lengths, with the favourite Straight Arron (Fastnet Rock) a long head back in third.
A winner on debut for Jenna Mahoney, Verona had five starts in New Zealand and was being set for the NZ Oaks before clients of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace made an offer.
She finished a troubled fifth on her Australian debut on March 23.
Stable representative Johann Gerard- Dubord said the filly has her quirks.
"There is plenty of improvement in her. She was still very new in the run, and a bit shy around horses," Gerard- Dubord said.
"Obviously, the step-up in trip too was always going to be a big plus. She had a lovely run, it was good.
"She was well bought. The Boxall family are involved, it's their colours, so it's good to get a win for them.
"She probably go to (Queensland) now. Top of the ground is no issue for her. She gets through the wet but top of the ground will be just as good. Her first run was good. She was still very new behind horses.
"We knew there was plenty of improvement but probably not that much improvement, so that was good. She raced end of January and landed here about 10 days after the Karaka Millions. She has been here for a while. She spent a bit of time at the beach. We have taken our time with her."
Cypress Point Farms paid just $8,000 to secure the daughter of Belardo (IRE) from the Haunui Farm draft from Book 3 of the 2020 NZ Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
She is the best of three winners from four to race out of the Stravinsky (USA) mare Spamalot.
A filly by US Navy Flag (USA) out of Spamalot failed to make her $80,000 from Book 2 of the Karka Yearling Sale.
Verona becomes the seventh stakes-winner for Haunui Farm shuttler Belardo (Lope de Vega) and is his second in the Southern Hemisphere..
