A three and a half kilogram weight advantage for improving filly Shopaholic over the heavily back Mosheen proved the deciding factor in Saturday's Group 3 The Vanity (1410m) at Flemington.
Sent out an odds-on favourite to make it three in a row, Mosheen held the challenge of the fast finishing Angel Of Mercy before the rallying Shopaholic scored a last stride victory.
Carrying the familiar colours of Waikato Stud's Gary Chittick, Shopaholic (Pins x Splashing Out (NZ) (O'Reilly) took her record to 4 wins, 1 second and 2 thirds from 9 starts for earnings of $174,044.
Trainer Danny O'Brien was confident Shopaholic would give a good account of herself.
"She's a very nice filly, lightly-raced, and improving," O'Brien said. "The win today was very strong.
"Mosheen was the testing material in the spring, as was Atlantic Jewel, but our filly is probably catching up to them now. She did a very good job.
"She got a good ride from Dwayne (Dunn) today. She was tough in a fight to the finish."
The Waikato Stud influence pervades Shopaholic's bloodlines. She is a daughter of pins out of a daughter of O'Reilly.
Pins and O'Reilly are currently locked in a battle for champion sire in New Zealand this season. The third dam of Shopaholic is by Waikato's past champion Centaine.
Shopaholic's dam Splashing Out, who was also trained by O'Brien, was top-class on the racetrack.
She won her first three starts including the Thoroughbred Club Stakes (G3). Her run came to an end when second to Gold Edition in the Ascot Vale Stakes (G1).Her dam Iguazu (Carolingian) was also a talented performer winning a pair of Group 3 races in New Zealand.
In earning her first stakes victory, Shopaholic becomes the 44th stakes-winner for her sire Pins.