Overflow Beau was the surprise star of the night at Wentworth Park on Saturday with a sensational three lengths win in 29.35 in heat two of the Beast Unleashed Bob Payne Sprint.
The Craig Chappelow-trained dog, whose previous best Wentworth Park 520m time had been 29.65, made full use of box one with an explosive getaway and comfortably held off long odds-on favourite Zipping Megatron, who had bombed the start from box two.
Leg Speed was a half head away third while Golden Easter Egg finalist Nangar Larry, who had box eight, also bungled the start.
Overflow Beau now comes strongly into next Saturday's Bob Payne final as the race record for the event is 29.58, posted by Good Odds Harada in 2019.
Nangar Larry's trainer Jodie Lord had better luck in heat one of the Bob Payne, with her dog One Hot Bandit, runner-up in last week's The Ambrosoli at Wentworth Park, coming from third on the back straight to overtake pacemaker Nad Al Sheba to score by just under a length.
One Hot Bandit carved out the 520m in 29.64, .05sec outside his personal best Wentworth Park figures.
Jodie Lord also has a strong representative in next Saturday's Evans & Son Jewelers Ladies Bracelet final, after Midnight Spritz notched her eighth win in 15 Wentworth Park appearances to set the time standard of 29.42 in the three heats.
Midnight Spritz headed off pacemaker Coco Model on the back straight and ran home in a smart 11.63, with Embrace, a kennelmate to Overflow Beau, running home solidly to finish second, three lengths behind the winner.
The other Bracelet heats went to Nangar Nellie, who broke through for her first Wentworth Park win for trainer Dennis Barnes in 29.48, and Camilla Keeping, who led all the way from box one for Shayne Stiff in 29.64.
Although she was slowest of the heat winners Camilla Keeping is likely to be favourite for the final after coming up with box one, the draw she had on Saturday night.
Midnight Spritz drew box five while the improvers could be My Hepburn, who has box two, and Miss Zig Zag, who has drawn eight in the final.
My Hepburn had box eight in her heat and finished a distant second behind Nangar Nellie after being unable to cross her at the first turn.
Miss Zig Zag, who is capable of beginning brilliantly, was only sixth away in her heat and rattled home, failing by only a half head to overhaul Camilla Keeping.
A drop in class brought Big Thunder and Spring Honour back into the winner's circle at Wentworth Park on Saturday.
Big Thunder led throughout to win a 520m fifth grade in 29.88 while Spring Honour led from the catching pen to take out a fourth and fifth grade in 29.85.
After Big Thunder's win, trainer Helen Rylands said: "He had been placed in three of his past five starts but those races were the Country Classic at Dubbo, the Golden Easter Egg and The Ambrosoli at Wentworth Park.
"He did really well in those tougher events and relished the drop in class tonight.''
Spring Honour's trainer Greg Board said: "He was down in grade and enjoyed being in box eight.
"Spring Honour does not like dogs crowding him on his outside, he loves going around his rivals, and that's what he did tonight.''
Trainer Minnie Finn was not at Wentworth Park, being occupied with runners in the Nowra Puppy Classic Final, but she landed a winning double with Ain't Waiting in a fifth grade and Zipping Fowler in the Maiden Final.
