In a field packed with European imports, Chris Waller again came out on top when former French galloper Foreteller ran down three-year-old Fiveandahalfstar to win the Group One Ranvet Stakes.

Favourite Fiveandahalfstar ($2.60) took up his customary front-running role and looked set to go one better than his Australian Cup second to Super Cool.

But in the last 100 metres, Jim Cassidy got busy on Foreteller ($31) and wore down Fiveandahalfstar to win by a half length and avenge his seventh in the Australian Cup.

"The Australian Cup was the perfect formguide for this race," Waller said.

"He got stuck on the fence in that race and couldn't sprint.

"Today we could ride a race on him and he was able to be ridden suitably.

"And it was a great ride from Jimmy. He has been the best over a long time and there is no-one better."

It was Cassidy's first Group One win for Waller and he said he knew he was going to get there in the end.

"Chris told me he got out of his comfort zone in the Australian Cup and to be patient," Cassidy said.

"I knew I was going to get (Fiveandahalfstar) in the last 100 (metres)."

Sydney's premier trainer, Waller has built his stable in part with moderately priced tried horses from Europe over the past few years and it has been a master stroke.

"It takes them a while to adjust to Australian conditions but I think we have only had one that didn't win a race," Waller said.

Fiveandahalfstar was given a week off after the Australian Cup and trainer Anthony Cummings said that told against the gelding who won the Victoria Derby at his seventh start in a seven-week preparation last spring.

"I think the two weeks between runs was too much," Cummings said.

"He ran out of condition and is still three kilograms heavier than he was in the Australian Cup.

"He will run next week in the Rosehill Guineas, then go to the BMW and on to the Derby.

"He might as well race for prize money as work hard on the track."

Maluckyday ($26), runner-up to Americain in the 2010 Melbourne Cup, put in his best performance for some time to run third, 2-3/4 lengths from Fiveandahalfstar.

"We haven't seen that sort of acceleration for the last couple of years," jockey Dwayne Dunn said.

"It was a big effort."