Jockey Nathan Berry is confident Festival Stakes winner Malavio can emulate Monton’s heroics from last year with a Villiers win later this month.

Malavio narrowly held out Monton in a thrilling Festival renewal at Rosehill on Saturday, denying the Ron Quinton miler back-to-back wins in the race.

It was the perfect tune up for the Group 2 Villiers Stakes (1600m) on December 21, a race Monton went on to win last year despite copping a 2.5kg weight penalty.

“He’s a very big horse I’d say he’d carry weight very well,” Berry said.

“He did it the tough way on Saturday so if he can get a nice cosy run in the Villiers I think he’ll be very hard to beat again.”

Trainer Steve Englebrecht has been targeting the Villiers all spring and looks to have his four-year-old peaking at the right time.

Berry gave the son of Snitzel a forward run on Saturday and the tactic paid off.

“He got to half a length outside the leader pretty comfortably, doing it well within himself,” Berry said.

“I don’t think he’s a horse that’s ever going to win by a big margin but he definitely gets the job done.

“I definitely felt the winner a furlong out. He did it when he beat Isopach in the normal Saturday race about three runs back, he put a quick half length on him and just held him at that, but never felt like he was going to get beat.

“He gave me the same feeling on Saturday he sort of just toys with them once he gets half a length in front.”