Trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith continued his recent run of excellent form with At The Crease winning the $70,000 Bensons Property Group Plate (1400m) for three-year-olds at Caulfield this afternoon.

Ridden by Craig Newitt, At The Crease settled in eleventh position before finished strongly down the outside to overrun Bertonic, Cascabel and Slither inside the final 100m.

In the run to the line, At The Crease ($4.20-$5.50-$5 fav) defeated last start winner Bertonic (4.80-$6) by a length with Cascabel ($16-$17-$16) a further ¾ of a length away.

Slither ($18) ran fourth while Swift Bay ($5.50) finished 3 lengths from the winner in fifth.

For Mayfield-Smith, it was his twelfth winner from his last 50 starters. Nine of those have come in the metropolitan area.

"Today was just a perfect ride for him, it was a bit similar to Bendigo the other day but that's the way your got to ride him," Mayfield-Smith said.

The son of Catcher In The Rye is now likely to head to the spelling paddock.

"I might give him a shorter break because he's still in good nick, bring him back for a couple of races and then put him out again," Mayfield-Smith added.

"He's still quiet immature horse and he'll really come into his own as a four-year-old and from then on."

The victory brought up a double for Newitt this afternoon after the success of Inkster in the first race.

At The Crease is a half-brother to the stakes placed mare, Goldfield Ashes, who is another horse trained by Mayfield-Smith.

At The Crease has had eight starts for three wins and a placing with his prizemoney just under $80,000.

PIC - Quentin Lang

© Cyberhorse 2010 Carl Di Iorio Published 18/07/09