Detective couldn't break through as a two-year-old but the colt has struck winning form early in his three-year-old season, highlighted by a Listed victory at Flemington.

The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt finished second in four of his five starts as a two-year-old including the Breeders' Plate in Sydney and Group Two VRC Sires' Produce Stakes at Flemington.

After getting his maiden win out of the way at Wyong in NSW in his first start as a three-year-old, Detective added a stakes win at Flemington on Saturday in the Listed Starlight Express Room Stakes (1400m).

"He just kept running second no matter where I took him," co-trainer Peter Snowden said.

"Those seconds have become wins now. It's two for two this preparation. It's good to see him show a bit of fight, he was well-ridden and it was good to see him get a win."

Jockey Chris Parnham pressed forward on Detective ($9) to sit second and the colt went on to defeat Tessera ($7) by three-quarters of a length with a short head to Throssell ($6) third.

Snowden said he's unsure whether Detective is up to the Caulfield Guineas but the colt will be given the chance to head towards the Group One race.

"He's improving and you can't put a cap on a horse that just keeps getting better, so we'll keep working with him and start raising the bar slightly," he said.

"There's a possibility he could end up there."

The Guineas Prelude is likely to be Detective's next start.

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