Sandown Guineas winner Villermont is likely to head to the Group 1 Queensland Derby following a nail-biting win in Saturday's Group III Gunsynd Classic (1630m) at Doomben.
The son of All Too Hard looked set for a comfortable win when Damian Browne dashed him clear at the 300-metre mark, however, the Sydney visitor Dark Dream (All American) refused to lay down and closed the margin to a nose on the line.
It was five and a half lengths back to Omineca (Makfi) in third place.
Villermont advances his record to three wins and one third from nine starts with earnings of $313,060
With trainer Ciaron Maher in Sydney, stable representative Annabel Neasham said Villermont was likely to press on to the Queensland Derby.
"It was a great ride by Damian from the wide barrier. The instructions were to drive forward and lead if possible and he did just that," Neasham told AAP.
Purchased by Ciaron Maher for $250,000 at the 2016 Easter Yearling Sale, Villermont (pictured as a yearling ) races for a large syndicate headed by Vinery Stud.
He is the seventh and final foal of the Group I Coolmore Classic heroine Bollinger who died in October last year.
The daughter of Dehere (USA) spent the majority of her broodmare career in America where her best was the Grade II Louisiana Derby winner Friesan Fire (AP Indy) who was sent off one of the favourites in the 2009 Kentucky.
The winner of five of her eight starts, Bollinger was a half-sister to Group III winners Mannington and Sheraton out of Marscay's 1993 Golden Slipper winner Bint Marscay.
Mannington is the dam of Group I Victoria Derby winner Benicio and Group II winner Romneya.
