“He’s a bit of an out-of-form dog but he’s finally found his way today and did everything I wanted him to do,” Westerlo said.

The experienced trainer, whose career spans 50 years, said he knew when his runner passed Miss Morrisset at the midway point of the race he was home.

“It was all over,” he said of Flawless Bling who finished the 450-metre heat in 25.12 seconds.

Westerlo said he wanted to make the most of a rare trip to the south-west and believed Flawless Bling was a chance in the semi-finals next Wednesday.

The Warrnambool classic final will be run the following Wednesday to tie in with the May racing carnival.

“He’s run a bit of time and if he draws right, he’ll be thereabouts,” he said.