Country-trained sprinter Mind Your Head has won the first round of autumn showdowns with Lucky Secret with the pair set to clash again in 16 days time in the Group Two Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley.Only four runners contested Saturday's Group Three Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield with Mind Your Head winning an enthralling contest by a half length from Lucky Secret who dead-heated with emerging star Happy Glen for second place.Heresay couldn't sprint with the three leaders in the straight a

Country-trained sprinter Mind Your Head has won the first round of autumn showdowns with Lucky Secret with the pair set to clash again in 16 days time in the Group Two Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley.

Only four runners contested Saturday's Group Three Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield with Mind Your Head winning an enthralling contest by a half length from Lucky Secret who dead-heated with emerging star Happy Glen for second place.

Heresay couldn't sprint with the three leaders in the straight and finished 5-1/2 lengths away fourth.

Trainer John Ledger has predicted an exciting autumn for Mind Your Head who is in career-best form using bush walks and a 100-metre swimming pool.

While Ledger was on the Gold Coast, his son Chris deputised for him at Caulfield and declared Mind Your Head "a fighter."

"He loves to put the pressure on and he can sustain it," Ledger said.

Pressure was what it was about as Danny Brereton tried to get a soft lead on Lucky Secret.

Mind Your Head's jockey Mark Pegus was mindful that Lucky Secret could be suspect first-up and when the pace slackened made his move.

"I was happy to peel out three-deep and let him improve a bit," Pegus said.

"I was pleased I did because Happy Glen put the pressure on Lucky Secret."

Mind Your Head has been a troublesome horse in the past, with among other things a reputation for being a barrier rogue, but has mended his ways this campaign with regular bush walks with a group of event horses as part of training regime.

Pegus said Mind Your Head, who had fetlock surgery early in his career, was now more relaxed and happy.

"He was probably a bit slow out today and does small things wrong but he is a lot better," Pegus said.

"He can definitely step up to the better races if he stays settled and his legs hold up.

"He is a Group One horse if everything goes right for him." Ledger refused a $500,000 offer for Mind Your Head as a three-year-old and he has now won eight of his 25 starts and close to $325,000.

Ledger believes this could be his best campaign and already he is undefeated after three starts including last month's Listed Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

Danny Brereton said a tubbier Lucky Secret was vulnerable against a race-fit Mind Your Head.

"I was happy with the run," Brereton said.

"I thought he was a bit suspect today as it was the heaviest he has gone into a first-up run.

"Usually he has gone 1000 metres first-up whereas he went 1100 metres which he had to today if he was to move on to 1200 metres for the Carlyon at Moonee Valley."

Robbie Griffiths was equally delighted with Happy Glen but said he would pass up a rematch with Mind Your Head and Lucky Secret in the Carlyon on January 23.

"It was a great race and I thought he (Happy Glen) was fantastic," Griffiths said.

"But I am not convinced is going to be as strong at 1200 metres.

Griffiths said his preference was for Happy Glen to run in next Saturday's Listed Kensington Stakes (1100m) at Flemington with a longer term goal being the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 21.