South Australian trainer Darryl Carrison's trips to Melbourne have been few and far between.

He needs a good reason to make the 16-hour journey from the fishing town of Port Lincoln on the SA west coast to Melbourne.

Carrison trained his first Victorian winner when Highest Note, his runner at Moonee Valley on Monday, scored at Ballarat on February 19.

The trainer almost claimed a Moonee Valley win when Like Bolt was narrowly beaten by Magnus Reign in a 955m race in October 2013 in which Lankan Rupee ran third.

"I had Like Bolt run at Moonee Valley and he ran second with Lankan Rupee third but unfortunately he broke down," Carrison said.

"We've only had a handful of runners go over and Like Bolt's probably the best.

Highest Note has not measured up to the heights of Like Bolt but she is the winner of five of her 14 starts and comes into the City Jeep Handicap (1200m) off a last-start fourth at Moonee Valley on February 27.

Carrison said the roomier tracks in Victoria were behind the decision to send Highest Note to Victoria rather than race her on the tighter Port Lincoln circuit.

Mark Pegus, who has the ride on the mare on Monday, steered her to a maiden victory at the Port Lincoln Cup carnival last year.

"She's got a choppy action and the smoother tracks and the higher tempo of speed we thought would suit her," Carrison said.

"Mark rode her over here last year and told me she'd make the grade over there and that's another reason why she went.

"She's related to (stakes winner) Tarcoola Diamond and if she can win a city race in Melbourne it will help her broodmare value."