Mark Kavanagh's chances of avenging a shock defeat in last year's Victoria Derby have been given a boost with Shamoline Warrior scoring a timely win at Flemington.A month out from the classic, the Shamardal colt switched on wearing blinkers for the first time and speared through from a pocket to land Saturday's Listed UCI Stakes (1800m).The victory propelled him to the top of TAB Sportsbet's Derby market at $5.50 ahead of $6.50 chance Monaco Consul, the upset winner of Saturday's Group One Sprin

Mark Kavanagh's chances of avenging a shock defeat in last year's Victoria Derby have been given a boost with Shamoline Warrior scoring a timely win at Flemington.

A month out from the classic, the Shamardal colt switched on wearing blinkers for the first time and speared through from a pocket to land Saturday's Listed UCI Stakes (1800m).

The victory propelled him to the top of TAB Sportsbet's Derby market at $5.50 ahead of $6.50 chance Monaco Consul, the upset winner of Saturday's Group One Spring Champion Stakes on a rain-soaked Randwick track.

Ridden by Damien Oliver, Shamoline Warrior scored by a long neck from Saint Encosta, ending a three-race winning run for Tribunal who finished a half length away third.

The Kavanagh-trained Whobegotyou started odds-on in the 2008 Victoria Derby but was beaten by $101 shot Rebel Raider.

Kavanagh has noted the improvement in Shamoline Warrior and says he has the constitution to run a strong 2500 metres in the Derby on October 31.

"He is coming good at the right time," Kavanagh said.

"I am pretty happy with the way he is going."

Oliver was confident Shamoline Warrior, who has raced five times and hadn't won since his debut at Sale in April, would run well on Saturday.

"Blinkers made a big difference to him," Oliver said.

"I worked him with them on Tuesday and he was a different horse.

"I just needed the run up the straight and I got it and he was good enough to get there and win well."

Kavanagh has used blinkers to great effect in the past, most notably with Maldivian who wore them for the first time when he won the Cox Plate.

Whobegotyou also had them added to his gear when he won last month's Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley.