Maher's mind was not far from home when Bon Aurum gave him his seventh group one victory at Caulfield on Saturday.

The lightly-raced four-year-old stallion defeated Voodoo Lad and Fast 'N' Rocking to win the $500,000 Rupert Clarke Stakes.

The former Emmanuel College student, who is following the debate about working horses on the beaches and dunes in Warrnambool, took time out to mention the issue.

"Bon Aurum has only been back in our Caulfield stable for about two months," Maher said.

"He has spent a lot of time down with Matthew Williams at Warrnambool and he’s done a great job with him.

“The work at Matthew's has put a strong fitness base into Bon Aurum. It's just a testament to the environment down there at the beach.

“It is great to get Bon Aurum back and claim a G1 with him. Warrnambool has been and still is a key part to the success of my stable. I just hope things can be worked out regarding horses working in the dunes in the near future."

Maher said Bon Aurum might have a run in the Toorak Handicap but the 1600-metre trip was a concern.

"I'm in two minds if he runs a strong mile but he's in great form and still improving," he said. "I reckon he deserves a crack at the Toorak."

Darren Weir's Warrnambool satellite stable notched up its third group one winner for the 2016-17 season when Black Heart Bart won the $500,000 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

Black Heart Bart held on to defeat He Or She and Lucia Valentina, giving the former Western Australian galloper his second group one victory for the season. He won the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield last month.

Weir said Black Heart Bart would have his next start in the Caulfield Stakes before tackling super mare Winx in the Cox Plate.

"Black Heart Bart got a beautiful run - he makes his own luck and puts himself there," he said.

"It was good to see him run through the line like that - I didn't have any doubts about the 1800 (metres), he was just beaten by a better horse on the day at his last start.

“I was pleased with the way he ran through the line and put them away. No disrespect to the opposition but it's going to get stronger into a Cox Plate."

Black Heart Bart was the middle leg of a winning treble for Weir's Warrnambool satellite stable at Caulfield. Royal Rapture won his fifth consecutive Melbourne race when he took out a $90,000 race while Hellbent was successful in a $90,000 race over 1100 metres.