A midweek win at Canterbury is a long way from the Caulfield Cup but Gai Waterhouse is targeting the rich staying handicap with import Glencadam Gold.

Glencadam Gold, purchased from a tried horse sale in England last October, made a winning start to his Australian racing career when he fought back to defeat Brian's Honour by a nose in the TAB Sportsbet Handicap (1550m) at Canterbury on Wednesday.

"You might have seen your Caulfield Cup horse here today," Waterhouse said.

Glencadam Gold did a few things wrong and looked to be headed in the straight after Brian's Honour applied the pressure around the turn, but the gelding rallied late to win.

"He'll take a lot of benefit from today," winning jockey Nash Rawiller said.

"At home, he's taken a few months to settle in to how we do it and just in the last three weeks he's really starting to put it all together.

"When Brian's Honour sort of put the pressure on us around the corner he got completely off balance and out of stride.

"I had to balance him up before I went for him but his last 100 metres was tremendous."

Rawiller admitted there was a long way to go to get to a Caulfield Cup but said the stayer was headed in the right direction and would continue to improve.

"If anyone can get him there it's Gai," Rawiller said.

Waterhouse and fellow trainer Peter Snowden traded wins in the opening four races with Glencadam Gold bringing up a double for the Waterhouse stable after favourite Jordan made hard work of his victory in the opening race.

Snowden prepared Cliques to win the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1550m) before promising three-year-old filly Omniscient resumed with a strong win in the Pluck @ Vinery Handicap (1100m).

Omniscient, who finished second to the highly-rated She's A Fox on debut in March, is now likely to head to Melbourne.

"I'll have a good think about it but I'll more than likely take her to Melbourne," Snowden said.

"I think the program suits her better there."

Kerrin McEvoy rode both Darley horses and made it a winning treble with a rails-hugging ride on the Gerald Ryan-trained Tamanu Park.