Sydney galloper Foreteller will head towards the Australian Cup after taking out the Group 2 $220,000 Carlton Draught Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield today.

Winning trainer Chris Waller said that Foreteller still has to improve to be a genuine chance in the Group 1 $1m Darley Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington in two weeks but that will be his target.

“He’s been set for the Australian Cup and we’ve been realistic all the way along knowing that he has to improve to get to that step, but today was certainly a big step in the right direction,” Waller said.

“The extra 200m metres will suit. Today with the slow pace he showed that he has a good turn of foot.”

“It was a great result and he will only improve on that.”

Winning jockey Dwayne Dunn settled Foreteller at the tail of the small field with second favourite Mr Moet and when Daniel Staeck made a move forward out wide coning to the home turn on the Western Australian galloper, Dunn had nowhere to go and had to stick to the fence.

Brett Prebble was able to get the leader Budriguez ($10) to kick in the straight but couldn’t hold off the strong finish of Foreteller up along the fence and Mr Moet ($4) who found the line strongly out in the middle of the track.

In a blanket finish $2.15 favourite Mawingo finished right on the placegetter’s heels for fourth, just over half a length for the winner.

Dunn said that the race didn’t pan out the way he had anticipated and thought he would be up with the pacemakers on the $14 chance.

“My pre-race plan was to be going forward,” Dunn said.

“The tempo was so muddly, I couldn’t get out from where I was and just had to take my options and they all sort of presented for me in front of me.”

Dunn, who wrapped up a winning double  in the Peter Young Stakes, said that the  result would probably not be a genuine guide leading into the Australian Cup in a fortnight.