Hunter-trained Hosier and Casino Kid showed they were on track for the inaugural $2 million Big Dance (1600m) on November 1 with a quinella at Randwick on Saturday.
Racing in a benchmark 88 1600m handicap, Hosier enjoyed a leisurely pace up front before kicking clear for a one and three quarter-lengths win on the heavy going.
The run for Newcastle apprentice Dylan Gibbons and trainer Kris Lees only strengthened the Coffs Harbour Cup winner's claims for the Big Dance, where he was $6 second favourite with Bet365 on Sunday.
"He's certainly on track," Lees said on Saturday.
"I thought he was just a touch soft today but he was able to get such a soft first half that he was able to dash home a nice 600m.
"I wouldn't say a quick 600 on today's track but it sets up nicely for a month's time.
"I was concerned if it was going to be a testing race he could be vulnerable but when he was trotting in front like that he was always going to be hard to run down.
"He'll bounce out of that really well and he seems to be on track."
Hosier is the first horse Lees has trained for prominent owner Lloyd Williams.
"I am certainly very proud and honoured to train for such a wonderful organisation," he said.
"He came up with a view of getting on some soft ground and we've certainly found that for them. He just looks a nice horse to be placed up here while the better races are in Melbourne."
The victory was Gibbons' 21st in town and ninth this season, putting him equal with Tyler Schiller early in the metropolitan apprentices' title.
"I was trying to get it as cheaply as I could and I nearly put myself into a tricky spot," Gibbons said of the early lead on Hosier.
"But once I sort of pressed on and got the lead, he's a very casual sort of horse, he had the ears pricked, and I knew he was enjoying himself. When I said go, he really let down well on testing ground.
"I was sort of worried being out in front, just with how relaxed he was, that if someone got a jump on us we're going be on the back foot.
"But he's a very intelligent horse and only did what he had to do but we were never in doubt."
Muswellbrook trainer Jan Bowen's Casino Kid, which is eligible for the Big Dance after winning the Dubbo Cup, raced midfield and was the only horse to take ground off Hosier close to home. He was $15 for the Big Dance.
"He's really crying out for 1800m to 2000m but we have the run in the Big Dance so we'll be going there,'' Bowen told Racing NSW.
"They were going slow early, he's got a good last 200 or 300 but it wasn't really run to suit him. He took ground off the winner which was pleasing."
The meeting was also memorable for Hunter syndicators Australian Bloodstock, who had Annabel Neasham-trained Top Ranked dead heat for victory with Ellsberg in the group 1 Epsom.
** The feature race at Muswellbrook on Monday is the Denman Cup.
