Blue Moon Rising, better known these days as a stayer, produced a sensational sprinting performance to stage a last-to-first victory in Saturday night's Free-For-All at Wentworth Park.
The John Finn-trained quartet of siblings, Poco Dorado, Veloce Nero, Blue Moon Rising and Two Times Twice, has starred throughout 2018 so it was fitting that a member of the litter should register such a sensational effort at one of Wentworth Park's final three meetings of the year.
With no long-distance races scheduled on Saturday, Finn was forced to nominate Blue Moon Rising and Veloce Nero for shorter events and while Veloce Nero was beaten a neck by Hit Record in a 520m fifth grade, her brother was simply amazing, stopping the clock at 29.58sec, .30sec inside his previous best time.
Blue Moon Rising bungled the start from box eight and was last of five runners on the back straight, but "took off'' from that point and after being a close third at the top of the straight, surged away to beat odds-on favourite Finale by just over two lengths.
The much-improved Zombie, after setting the pace to the home bend, was two lengths away third.
The winner came home in 11.65sec, prompting even part-owner Denis Donoghue to concede: "I knew Blue Moon Rising was going well but I didn't think he could do what he just did!''
Blue Moon Rising's sister and kennelmate Veloce Nero appeared to hit the front just before the finish but Hit Record grabbed her on the line to win by a neck in 29.91sec.
Hit Record is trained by Patricia Chaker, whose sister Melinda Finn's husband John trains Veloce Nero.
"Hit Record was having only his second run in a month but has been trialling well,'' Chaker said later.
"I had been setting him for the Christmas Cup at Richmond but the conditions of the race were changed at the last minute so Hit Record was no longer eligible.
"Because of that I had to trial him at Richmond and he clocked 30.70sec for the 535m and then went fast in a 480m trial on the straight track I have on my property.''
Ombre Rose earned a tilt at next month's Ladbrokes National Futurity with her all-the-way win in a 520m fifth grade on Saturday night.
Ombre Rose set up a massive early lead and won by over seven lengths in 30.30sec.
Heats of the Group 1 Futurity, for bitches whelped on or after October 1, 2016, will be held at Wentworth Park on January 26.
"Ombre Rose was whelped in March, 2017, so the Futurity looks a logical race for her,'' trainer Glen McKinley said on Saturday.
"I expected her to lead tonight because she has always been very quick early but I wasn't sure how strongly she would get to the line.
"She only ran 30.30sec but Ombre Rose is only young so I think she will get stronger.''
Zipping Tayla, winner of this year's Group 1 Dapto Megastar, notched her ninth win in 20 starts for trainer Jason MacKAY by leading throughout in a smart 29.79 in a 520m fourth and fifth grade on Saturday.
"She had been racing tougher class so she obviously relished a drop in grade,'' MacKAY said.
"And Zipping Tayla hand-slipped very well at LADBROKES GARDENS, my local track, this week.
"Ando's Mac, who won a Group 1 Vic Peters Classic for me, is the quickest dog I have slipped around The Gardens but Zipping Tayla clocked time not much worse than what he used to run, and it was certainly the best she has recorded there.''
