Embye and Zipping Mitzy are off to Wentworth Park for the semi-finals after running the quinella in Saturday night's Bulli regional final of the GRNSW + Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase.
The 27 months old Embye had led throughout to win his heat in near record time of 28.54 for the 515m trip and put in a carbon copy performance in Saturday's final, stopping the clock at a slick 28.68 in extremely windy conditions.
Embye had box one in his heat and wore the red rug again last Saturday, with the Ruth Matic-trained son of Keybow taking his tally from the rails trap to three wins from four starts.
Zipping Mitzy lost no admirers with her strong finishing second, beaten just over a length, after being third at the first turn and coming off box eight.
Eight semi-finals of the Million Dollar Chase will be staged over 520m at Wentworth Park on Friday, October 12, with each winner going into the $1 million to the winner grand final at headquarters on October 20.
Both Embye and Zipping Mitzy will relish the series culminating at Wentworth Park as each began their careers at that track in impressive style.
"Embye trialled 29.82 at Wenty before the Group 3 Magic Maiden series in March,'' trainer Ruth Matic said.
Zipping Mitzy made a sensational race debut there, winning by 15 lengths in a blistering 29.68 on May 16, running home in a powerful 11.63sec.
At the time even owner Marty Hallinan was taken aback, commenting: "When the time was semaphored I thought the clock must have malfunctioned!''
Trainer Mark Wilcox's prediction on the outcome of Saturday's Ladbrokes Info Hub Stakes proved spot on when his dog Third Vintage ran down his litter brother and kennelmate Scientific Man.
Second favourite Third Vintage, who drew box eight, was a distant second behind the front-running hotpot Scientific Man at the first turn but after gradually reducing the leeway and was up close on the home turn and finished best to win running away.
Before the race Wilcox had told thedogs.com.au: "I expect Scientific Man to lead all the way but if Third Vintage, who is a wide runner and is ideally drawn is close to him on the home turn he will probably beat him.''
When Jason Fletcher was training Light Fantastic she gave him many anxious moments, as the stayer was a racetrack enigma who could run like the wind but had a mind of her own.
But in the breeding barn Light Fantastic has been a revelation, with Fantastic Dotty, a bitch from her first litter whelped in September, 2013, breaking the Dapto track record in winning a 520m maiden final.
Last Saturday Fletcher landed a winning double with Light Fantastic's latest offspring Fantastic Hope and with Fantastic Axel, a son of Fantastic Dotty and so a grandson of the Dapto record holder.
Fantastic Hope led from the first turn to hold out the unlucky Turanza's Terror by a half length in 26.83sec for the 472m while Fantastic Axel also grabbed the lead at the first corner to win in 26.94 for the same trip.
Turanza's Terror, who had Chased home Fantastic Ernie, a litter brother to Fantastic Hope, in his Sydney debut at Bulli on September 8, bungled the start from box seven on Saturday and roared home along the rails to go under by a half-length.
Also landing a double at Bulli on Saturday night was Londonderry trainer Christine Proctor, who won the opening event with Num Chuck Chicki and later took out the 472m Free-For-All with her bold front-runner Sound Advice, who led throughout to notched his 13th win in 61 starts.
See you next week!
