McGaw has handed Emma-Lee and David Browne their biggest success in racing.

Victory in the VOBIS Platinum Showdown at Caulfield may not carry the prestige of a Stakes race win, but it means so much more for husband-and-wife training partners Emma-Lee and David Browne. 

Victory by their unbeaten galloper Mcgaw in Saturday's $1 million (1200m) contest for two-year-olds was their biggest win in eight years of training. 

The pair had a Group 2 winner, Belle Du Nord, back in New Zealand while Elephant, at Group 3 level, has been their biggest success since crossing the Tasman, eventually setting up a stable at Pakenham two years ago. 

Damian Lane elected to bypass the feature meeting in Sydney to ride McGaw ($6.50) to a half-length victory over Befuddle ($21) with Chergui ($13) a short-half-head away third. 

Emma-Lee Browne parted with $14,000 to purchase McGaw as a yearling with the gelding now having collected just shy of $600,000 after Saturday's win. 

After a debut win at Pakenham in January, the Browne's elected to bypass the Blue Diamond Series to concentrate on Saturday's race. 

"It really is a land of opportunity when you buy one for $14,000 and you win a race like that," Emma-Lee Browne said. 

"I'm incredibly proud of the horse. Proud of Damien. Thanks for staying in Melbourne! 

"Hopefully we're here in the spring. I love spring in Melbourne, and we love being a part of it so hopefully he's here." 

Browne said she liked McGaw's long legs, although her husband tried to question her reasons for purchasing the gelding. 

"I bought him and then he (David) tried to take the mickey out of me, and he said, 'You know it's got a wonky leg.' 

"I loved him and obviously we went round and looked at him. 

"He's such an amazing horse because he is a bit of a dork. He's got those big ears, he wanders around, he eats all his food, he tries to stand on his own feet. 

"Then he gets out there and he does this, just amazing." 

Lane said McGaw was still very raw, like a big kid. 

"He goes to the barriers trying to take off and jump different coloured patches of grass," Lane said. 

"To be able to do what he's doing race day, hopefully that means that with natural progression he can improve and hopefully, like Emma-Lee, we will see where he goes in the spring."