Lightly-raced three-year-old It'llbefantastic will be nominated for next week's Sandown Guineas after springing one of the biggest surprises of Melbourne Cup week at Flemington.

Cranbourne trainer Dean Howard at the end of last season took the unusual step of taking the gelding to Perth in search of dry tracks and his initiative was rewarded with an unlikely victory in Saturday's Listed Hilton Stakes (1400m).

Backed from $51 to $31 and ridden by Glen Boss, It'llbefantastic never left the rails after box-seating in fourth place and in a nail-biting finish lunged to beat Silver Spur ($4.80) by a nose with the favourite Governance ($2.20) a half-head away third.

"It was a big call coming here but he has shown us a bit," said Howard who co-owns the son of Fantastic Light with John Iuele.

Howard said it took a while to get It'llbefantastic up and running when it became apparent he didn't handle wet tracks and out of frustration in late July he gave him his first two starts in Perth.

"He ran under my name and then for (trainer) Bruce Watkins and both times he got the visitor's draw (wide barriers) and finished third," Howard said.

Howard, who only has a couple of horses in work, said the trip, while unorthodox, had proved the making of It'llbefantastic and he returned to win first-up at Pakenham last month when "85 per cent" fit.

"He went over there (to Perth) a Mini-Minor and came back a Rolls-Royce," Howard said.

"We were not really confident today but knew we were in with a good chance."

It'llbefantastic, who cost $25,000, is from Regal Classic mare Quantum Leap and is a brother to the Mark Kavanagh-trained Outlandish Lad who won the All Greys (1400m) on Oaks day at Flemington.

Howard said he would decide early next week whether It'llbefantastic would contest the Group Two Sandown Guineas (1600m).

"We are going to nominate him but it is a bit of a poke in the dark," Howard said.

Governance was the unlucky runner of the race, much to the frustration of punters who watched him back third last struggling to find clear running.

Kerrin McEvoy finally got him out but and he just failed in the three-way finish.