And so it proved. Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy the 5yo son of Monsun fought on doggedly to defeat Malice (Teofilo) by a head with favourite Leebaz three-quarters of a length back in third.(pictures Lisa Grimm)
It was the third win in seven starts in Australia for Excess Knowledge and his first at stakes level. His only other attempt at stakes level in his adopted homeland saw him beaten four lengths into seventh placed in the Group II Shannon Stakes at Rosehill won by Rock Sturdy in September last year.
The Juddmonte-bred was formerly trained by John Gosden in England.
Besides his Gordon Stakes second, he placed in the Listed Washington Singer Stakes at Newbury and Listed Gala Stakes at Sandown and won at his career debut at Sandown.
Imported to Australia by Round Table Racing, Excess Knowledge moves his overall record to 4 wins, 3 seconds and 2 thirds from 13 starts for earnings of $254,742.
The win earned him a ticket for the Group 1 Doncaster Mile however Gai Waterhouse was unusually non-committal.
"He's not particularly well-weighted (for the Doncaster), which might sound funny but I can assure you he's not," Waterhouse said.
"He may go to Japan Racing Plate, I just want the dust to settle.
"He's a drop dead gorgeous looking horse.
Former Round Table manager Bruce Slade was thrilled by the win.
"He's got a ton of ability, we like to think as the ownership group that he's the best looking horse in training in Australia," Slade said.
"He's just such a beauty, of course sauced by James Harron and Rob and Gai Waterhouse.
"We really did buy him for the Cups, that's our objective with him so to see him win like that is very encouraging."
By Fiorente's sire Monsun (GER), Excess Knowledge is out of the stakes-winning Dansili mare Quench whose dam Love The Rain (Rainbow Quest) is a sister to Group II Prixde Malleret winner Bonash (dam of multiple Group III winner Day Flight and Group III winner Sense Of Joy) and a half-sister to Media Box (Dam of Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and Group 1 Prix de Diane winner Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat), Group II winner Burning Sun (Danzig), and Group III winner and Group 1 placed Mirabilis (Lear Fan).