Zed Em stamped himself as Australia's premier jumps horse with a dominant display to win Saturday's Thomas Foods International Great Eastern Steeplechase (4950m), giving trainer Patrick Payne his fourth triumph in the time-honoured Oakbank feature.

Sent out the ruling $1.60 favourite by punters, the seven-year-old led from the first obstacle until the last, jumping cleanly throughout to score by four lengths over veteran stablemate No Song No Supper, with Tony Rosolini's Undergroundfighter a further six lengths adrift in third.

The victory, jockey Steven Pateman's fifth in the marathon contest, added to Zed Em's wins in the Von Doussa (2016 and 2017), the Brierly Steeplechase and the Thackeray Steeplechase, with Payne now eyeing the traditional Brierly-Grand Annual Steeplechase double at Warrnambool's upcoming May Racing Carnival.

Earlier, jumps doyenne Eric Musgrove claimed his ninth Classic Hurdle (3600m) win when emerging stayer Abebe tenaciously staved off the challenge of Angelology and About The Journey in the $100,000 feature.

Musgrove hinted the son of Pentire could make a return to the bigger fences for a clash with Zed Em in the Brierly Steeplechase (3450m) on the opening day of Warrnambool's May Racing Carnival.