Trainer Jason Warren had one instruction for jockey Ben Melham before Dubleo (Southern Halo – Secret Red, by Secretariat) filly Double Dee’s impressive victory in the Orbit Fitness Maiden Plate (1000m) at Mornington.

Double Dee had seven rivals to contend with in the $17,5000 event but Warren wanted to take bad luck out of the equation in the daughter of Dubleo’s second race start.

“I didn’t expect her to lead but I just said to Ben, ‘just keep her out of trouble’,” Warren said.

Melham took the initiative aboard Double Dee, sending the three-year-old straight to the front to ensure he capitalised on the filly’s inside draw.

Double Dee travelled reasonably well midrace for Melham before railing perfectly rounding the home turn to open a big margin on her opposition from the 200 metres.

Melham was able to ride Double Dee kindly over the concluding stages but she still had three lengths to spare on the line to please the top jockey.

“I think she’s above average,” Melham said. “She didn’t beat a lot here today but there is good improvement in her and I was happy with the way she did it.

“I just wanted to keep her out of trouble today in this moderate opposition. She’s pretty tractable so you can probably ride her where you want.”

Warren said Double Dee earned a city test with her maiden success, which earned her connections a $10,500 winner’s cheque.

“She’s not fully wound up for today and we were using this as a stepping stone to a better race,” Warren said. “I think there’s a race for her on New Year’s Day at Flemington, a six-furlong race and we’ll hopefully get her to that.”

Warren paid $32,000 for Double Dee at the 2011 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. Her dam, Sunset Express, is a daughter of former Vinery Stud resident Success Express.

Vinery presented Sunset Express’s next foal to the Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2011 which sold to Cox Plate winning trainer Greg Eurell for $230,000.

A big finish enabled Koonoomoo (Dubleo – Maximova, by Rory’s Jester) to become the second stakes winner sired by Vinery Stud stallion Dubleo (Southern Halo – Secret Red, by Secretariat) in Tuesday’s Group 3 Maybe Mahal Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

Koonoomoo had finished in the placings at her past two starts, including in Listed company two starts back at Caulfield, but the presence of talent such as the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) winner Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force – Samsara Lady, by Nassipour) and Group 1-placed mare Gai’s Choice (General Nediym – Faster Pussycat, by Flying Spur) ensured she started at big odds.

Barrier 14 also presented a problem for Koonoomoo but her jockey Hugh Bowman overcame the difficulty by taking the five-year-old to the tail of the field before she steamed home to give her trainer Simon Vercoe his maiden city winner.

“I thought it was a very even race and she was great odds for her form and (that might be) because I’m a country trainer. In a big stable she’d be much shorter,” Vercoe said.  “I couldn’t have been happier with her leading into today.

“He (Hugh Bowman) rode her for luck and the luck came so it’s a great day to break the city duck.”

“I’ve had a few seconds and thirds that have been close with some bad luck stories and I just thought this horse was going well enough and the result is there now.”

Dubleo is currently serving his eighth Australian book of mares at a service fee of $5500 (inc GST).