Peter Moody's decision to dodge a midweek race at Mornington with Pink Perfection has paid dividends with the filly winning a more lucrative race at Flemington.

Pink Perfection was scratched from a $35,000 race on Wednesday, which was won by promising filly Belle Melba from the Clinton McDonald stable, to instead take aim in Saturday's $80,000 Beachside Handicap (1000m) where she was sent out a $6 chance.

The three-year-old, ridden by apprentice Regan Bayliss, jumped to the front in the straight-track sprint and kept her rivals at bay in the run to the line to hold off favourite Nicamorae ($5.50) by a short head with a short neck to Moparee ($8.50) third.

"I knew Clinton's filly (Belle Melba) was going very good, so we thought we'd have a throw at the stumps here and dodge it (on Wednesday)," Moody said.

"And this race was for more prize money."

Pink Perfection is only small in stature but Moody said the daughter of Mossman tries hard and had already done a good job with a city win last season in Sydney and now a Flemington win from her nine starts.

The victory was Bayliss' 16th city win so far this season to have him in the top five in the Melbourne jockeys' premiership.