The two-year-old series during the Brisbane Winter Carnival has another big challenger and one that may finally bring an end to the Darley domination this year.

In The Phoenix at Doomben today Fontelina showed he’s improved further from his debut run and he blitzed the field to win it easily.

As they rounded the bend it was Cindarockinrella clear by two in front with Lucky Morna alongside Fontelina just behind.

As they straightened though it took only a matter of strides before Fontelina had claimed the leader and once he hit the lead he was never going to relinquish it.

Doomben has shown it’s a track favouring the leaders today and nothing form behind made any in roads with the first five around the bend the first five past the post.

Lukcy Morna ended up crossing in a clear second with Cindarockinrella battling on for third.

Saramenha took a rails run and never threatened in fourth place.

For Fontelina this win opens some big doors and provides a welcome win to trainer Anthony Cummings.

“Very pleased about that, nice race to win and on to the TJ,” Cummings said.

“He’s not the perfect race horse yet, he’s still got a lot to learn.”

It’s not just mental development that he’s expecting from the horse either and the run itself will improve him considerably.

“He’ll take a lot out of this race again, he’ll have a good blow,” he said.

Fontelina will now head to the TJ Smith Stakes and will be one of the favourites despite this being just his second career start.

He debuted at Canterbury where he ran second but turned a lot of heads in the process.

Luke Nolen was the man aboard today and he was very pleased with he manner of the victory.

“The leader kicked nicely, when he got there he was still legging it out,” he said.

“He was very strong down the 1350.”

Darley has dominated the two-year-old ranks in 2011 and with Benefica has a tremendous chance in the TJ Smith as well.