A firmer surface and a gear change made the winning difference to Savanna Amour in Saturday's Group III Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Savanna Amour could finish only seventh last time out in the Group III Bletchingly Stakes at Sandown however, back on a good surface and against her own sex the four-year-old was back to her best.
In traffic around the home turn, Ben Melham switched towards the inside in the straight and Savanna Amour ($9 - $15) quickened up to come through and defeat Flying Jess ($81), which came from last, by a short head with Written Era ($21) a nose away third.
Melham said the blinkers almost worked too well.
"She travelled really strong in the blinkers today and probably carried me a bit closer than I expected," Melham said.
"She towed me into traffic and I was lucky it opened up in the straight. I knew I had plenty of horse but I had nowhere to go.
"The firmer track helped her as well, she just didn't handle it at Sandown."
Savanna Amour won the Group III Angus Armanasco Stakes at Caulfield in the autumn and Meagher said the daughter of Love Conquers All was a different horse on top of the ground.
"I was disappointed after the first-up run but Ben (Melham) told me not to worry," Meagher said.
"The firmer track here today was in her favour and she travelled strong in the blinkers so it all worked out in the end."
