Jim Cassidy proved just as adept in the stewards' room as on the track when he argued successfully for Longport to be declared the winner over Norzita in Saturday's Tea Rose Stakes.

There was a nose between the pair on the line and stewards' agreed with Cassidy that Norzita ($5) had cost Longport ($81) the race when she came in on two occasions inside the 200 metres.

In pics: Spring Carnival action

Although Norzita's jockey Corey Brown said he had stopped riding and Cassidy had not, stewards found against him.

Brown, who has copped his fair share of ribbing for being called a veteran in a newspaper headline this week, was asked by Cassidy if he thought he could dictate to his mount from his outside position.

He said no to which Cassidy retorted: "You should go back to apprentices' school".

Brown gave as good as he got saying if he was a veteran, Cassidy was a senior citizen.

Cassidy got the last good natured dig in by reminding his rival he was a Hall of Fame jockey.

The two fillies will do battle again in two weeks in the Group One Flight Stakes.

Longport's win in the 1500m Randwick feature was a turnaround from her last start ninth of 10 at Rosehill on September 1 and Patinack Farm trainer John Thompson said he had confidence in the filly.

"She ran disgracefully last start but I knew she could turn it around," Thompson said.

"I gave her a trial and plenty of work in between and the three weeks between runs helped.

"She will go on to the Flight Stakes now."

Owner Dato Tan Chin Nam's racing manager Duncan Ramage said Norzita would also head to the Group One and took her relegation on the chin.

"She has run well and will do so again," Ramage said.

Favourite Dear Demi ($2.50) made an eye-catching run for fourth after encountering traffic problems throughout the race.