Pint-sized filly House Of Stars has earned herself a trip to Tasmania for the Oaks with a gutsy win at Mornington.

House Of Stars, trained by former jockey and Caulfield Cup winner Brent Stanley, appeared under pressure coming to the home turn in the Land Engineering Adam Dower Memorial (2050m) but kept fighting to the line to notch her first metropolitan win by half a length.

Stanley said the plan was to head to the Listed Strutt Stakes (2100m) in Tasmania on February 9 before the Listed Tasmanian Oaks (2100m) 10 days later.

“She just earned herself a boat trip over there,” Stanley said.

“She’s just as tough as nails.”

The public holiday meeting at Mornington carried metropolitan status and House Of Stars was Stanley’s second city winner.

Stanley rides his horses in trackwork and doubts he has ridden a smaller horse than House Of Stars.

He praised the daughter of Host’s toughness and willingness to compete.

“There wouldn’t be many smaller horses racing than her,” he said.

“She’s a pony, but she’s got the right attitude and wants to be a racehorse.”

House Of Stars ($2.80 fav) defeated Go Home Cecilia with Pressure Down a half-neck away third in the six-horse field.

Success in Tasmania for House Of Stars would give Stanley his first stakes success as a trainer.

His best result in a stakes race since taking up training has been a second with Utah Saints in the Listed Hinkler Quality in Brisbane in April.

House Of Stars races in the colours of David Moodie and are the same silks Stanley wore to win the 1996 Caulfield Cup as an apprentice on Arctic Scent.

House Of Star’s rider Katelyn Mallyon made it a winning double in the final race aboard Devonshire Duke to continue her impressive summer form.

Mallyon has 16 city wins for the season to be just one behind Chad Schofield in the apprentices’ premiership.

Trainers Anthony Freedman and Mick Kent both prepared winning doubles at the meeting with Mysonharry and Written getting home for Kent in consecutive races while Charge In Charge and Metaphor also gave Freedman a race-to-race double later on the card.