Incapacitated produced far and away his fastest Wentworth Park time to be crowned king of the match races in Saturday night's CHRIStmas Gift Shootout.
Trained by Jason King for owner Tess Simmons, the CHRIS Carl-bred Incapacitated earned $5000 when he led throughout to easily defeat Sunburnt Highway in the second two dog Shootout in 29.66.
Although he clocked only 5.55 for the first split, Incapacitated posted a nippy second section of 13.92 and ran home in an outstanding 11.62, with his overall time .20sec _ equivalent to three lengths _ quicker than he had recorded in any of six previous Wentworth Park 520m wins.
Incapacitated's 29.66 was best of the four Shootouts so also earned connections the $10,000 fastest time bonus.
Victoria's Catch The Thief was next quickest at 29.71 after leading throughout to defeat Ritza Coen by a half length, with Ebby Jet Power leading all the way to beat Poacher in 29.79.
Fire Legend railed underneath early leader Drink Moet to win his Shootout in 29.87, with the pacemaker posting the fastest first split of the match races at 5.44.
After the series Incapacitated's trainer Justin King said: "Rain had made the surface pretty boggy and that really suited our dog because he is so strong.''
King and owner Tess Simmons are hoping the Queensland border stays open because they plan to start Incapacitated in a $60,000, 600m event at Albion Park late this month.
"The heats are on December 31 and I reckon the Albion Park track will suit Incapacitated, because it is similar to Richmond and he loves that place,'' King said.
Trainer Peter Lagogiane compared Ava Wine favourably with his 2020 TAB Million Dollar Chase winner Handsome Prince after the former Tasmanian led all the way to open his Wentworth Park account in 29.85.
Ava Wine had been runner-up in his two previous Wentworth Park appearances and the litter brother to Handsome Prince will now be set for the Woy Woy Poultry Goford Cup series.
Heats of the group 2 Cup, over 515m, will be held on Sunday, December 27.
"If I trial Handsome Prince and Ava Wine there would be nothing between them and they would run pretty much the same times,'' Lagogiane said.
"But Ava Wine is slightly stronger at the end of 520m.''
Lagogiane landed a winning double, with Princess Riot leading all the way in 29.80.
Owner Jimmy Vescos said later: "Princess Riot had clocked 29.70 chasing Wow home at Wenty last week so deserved to win a race.
"She had a troublesome toe injury earlier in her career but while she turns four next month, she is now going better than ever because she is 100 per cent sound.''
Trainer Karina Britton's outstanding siblings Wow and Ad Astra, who took out a Wentworth Park double last Saturday, repeated a duo of wins on Saturday night.
Wow overcame a moderate start to run down Ebby Infrared in 29.76, while Ad Astra also dwelt at box rise before hitting the front at the first turn to win easily in 29.80.
Victorian trained Here's Tears completed a big race long distance treble in NSW when he led all the way to hold off Zipping Truvy in Saturday night's GBOTA CHRIStmas Cheer over 720m.
This campaign Here's Tears, bred and owned on the central coast by Michael Ivers but trained by Robert Britton in Victoria, had recently also won the Sydney and Newcastle Cups double.
On Saturday he covered the 720m in 42.36, .20sec outside his best Wentworth Park time, but still good enough to have one-and-a-half lengths to spare over the fast finishing Zipping Truvy.
