Beau Mertens made a deliberate decision to stay in Melbourne on Saturday and it paid dividends as he moved within two winners of metropolitan premiership leader Craig Williams with a treble at Flemington.

A race-to-race double via wins to Divine Quality and Hot Ruby saw Mertens climb to 54 winners in town this season, and a thrilling win aboard the Henry Dwyer-trained Stormsarebrewing in the True Version Handicap (1600m) - the last at Flemington - took him to 55, and just two off Williams (57) - and clear of next best Dwayne Dunn (47).

He palmed off the opportunity to continue his association with Bassett in Adelaide, the Mick Price-trained galloper finishing a luckless sixth in the Gr.3 DC McKay Stakes, in order to capitalise on the absence of Williams et al at Flemington.

Stormsabrewing is a New-Zealand bred daughter of Mastercraftsman and is still part-owned by her breeders Windsor Park Stud.