At Moonee Valley just a week earlier Hush Writer had barely given himself a chance in a competitive staying handicap eventually won by the Jarrod McLean trained Trap for Fools.

He raced greenly, threw his head from side to side and pulled like a train, expanding unnecessary energy as he fought rider Stephen Baster for control. While he disputed the running for a long way he fell out of contention when the race got underway in earnest and having used up far too much petrol he faded to ninth, 5.5 lengths adrift of the winner.

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Seven days made a great difference to the way the horse behaved at Flemington. He was much more tractable under Baster on this occasion. Prominent throughout he raced in far more settled fashion, allowing him to be in contention at the finish. The winner scored by a length but the third horse was four lengths away and behind him was Darren Weir's High Church, a last start Caulfield winner and a Warrnambool Cup hero earlier in his career.

Hush Writer would still have to improve plenty to get into the Cup field but Waterhouse believes that he will only get better with racing as his manners mature.

A three year old to Northern Hemisphere time (as was last year's Cup winner Rekindling), Hush Writer was only having the fifth start of his life on Saturday. His sole victory came in a 2000 metre maiden at Longchamp in May, but his last start in France (the third of his career) came in a 2400 metre Group 2 at Chantilly in June when he was only narrowly beaten.

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''He was much better,'' said Waterhouse as she analysed the import's performance.

''The day weather wise (there were strong headwinds) was a bit against us, it was so blustery. He is still learning to take a deep breath. He is young, he is very talented. He couldn't explode up the straight, which he is very capable of doing as he used a lot of his petrol in the middle stages.

''But Steve said he was a lot more relaxed under the circumstances, given how windy it was.''

Waterhouse could try to lift his rating now, and aim for a run in Sydney's premier spring staying race, the Metropolitan.

''I will be guided by him, if he's training well and enjoying it, which at present he is, we will go forward," she said.

''He's nominated for the Metropolitan, I will just wait and see and let the dust settle.

''I think the Valley was just too much for him, in retrospect. It was all too closeted. It's a tiny track and he's never been in that environment before.

''In his next start you will see more improvement. He's backed up from 2000 metres to 2500 this week, there's not many other horses in Australia that would have done that. I know the horse is going in the right direction.''