Pago Rock built on an already impressive fresh record and did enough to confirm spring carnival aspirations with a strong win at Caulfield on Saturday.

The five-year-old gelding, owned and trained by David Hayes, took his first-up record to five wins from six attempts with a long-neck success in the Elizabeth S Marshall Handicap (1100m).

Stable representative Bruno Rouge-Serret said Pago Rock, who joined the Hayes stable last year, was likely to have one more off-season start before attention turns to the spring and a potential shot at the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m).

"Since he got him Dave has always thought he was a good enough sprinter," Rouge-Serret said.

Always in a position to strike behind the lead, Pago Rock ($8.50) surged to the front approaching the 200m mark and beat the consistent It Is Written ($5) with the same margin to well-supported favourite Dee Bee Nine ($4.60).

Pago Rock's only first-up blemish was last preparation when 12th in the Bobbie Lewis over 1200m at Flemington.

The Caulfield victory was another demonstration of what could have been this year for Melbourne's leading apprentice Chad Schofield, who notched his 32nd city win of a season that has constantly been interrupted by suspensions.

Schofield is only three wins away from outriding his claim.

"If Chad had stayed on most of these horses, instead of kept getting rubbed out, he'd probably be running third in the premiership," Rouge-Serret said.

"We had a couple of good patches and both times he was suspended. Everything worked out beautifully today though."

Tom Sadler, meanwhile, made the most of still being able to claim 3kg with victory on the Anthony Freedman-trained Benenden in the Melinda Rea Handicap (1600m).

Sadler outrode his 3kg claim on Wednesday but because acceptances had been taken for the Caulfield meeting he could still ride with the full allowance on Saturday.

Daniel Stackhouse had a mixed day with victory on the Peter Moody-trained Cosmic Causeway but it earned him a 12-meeting suspension for causing interference as he made his winning run.