Syndicator Joe O’Neill convinced his trainer Patrick Payne to target the Schweppes Tasmanian Derby six months ago with the well-bred three-year-old The Nephew and, in Hobart on Friday, the son of Wordsmith delivered a great staying performance to win the $150,000 Listed event over 2200m.

The Nephew arrived in the state on the back of a convincing win in the Woodend Cup over 1850m at Kyneton last week and that convinced the Prime Thoroughbreds syndicate members the three-year-old was on track to realise his goal.

"This is the race we've targeted all along and this is a great result for a great bunch of owners who all put their faith in this horse," Joe O'Neill said.

"He won the Woodend Cup beating the older horses, so we were fairly confident he would get the job done today.

"Patrick (Payne) has done an excellent job with this horse that is out of a half-sister to our outstanding mare Rubisaki."

The Nephew was ridden by Tasmanian rider Brendon Mccoull, who shared a long and successful working relationship with O'Neill's Prime Thoroughbreds when O'Neill raced a lot of horses in the state a few years ago.

McCoull always had The Nephew ($2.50 fav) within sight of the leaders although he was caught three-wide without cover from the 1200m, but when he called on the gelding for an effort, he ran on resolutely to defeat Ashy Boy ($9) and Dogy One ($4.60).

Local favorite No Surprises ($6) settled just worse than midfield and when rider Siggy Carr called on the colt to extend, he ran on gamely but couldn't quite match the interstate invaders.