Wentworth Park's long distance queen Super Estrella rung up win number 13 over 720m on Saturday night but did it the hard way and gave those took the prohibitive $1.10 odds palpitations for much of the race.
David Smith's track record holder was beaten to the first turn by Trunkey Bill who cut down from box seven and chopped off Super Estrella, who had box one, as they rounded the corner.
Trunkey Bill made all the running to the home bend where Super Estrella switched to the outside and flashed home to edge out the pacemaker by a half head in 42.43, a hefty .22sec outside the record figures she posted at Wentworth Park on September 3.
Zipping Novak began only fairly but got a good run around the first corner to be trailing Kip Keeping entering the back straight before storming home to win a 520m fifth grade by five lengths in 29.59, fastest time of the night.
It was Zipping Novak's sixth Wentworth Park win in a dozen appearances and his run home time of 11.59 suggests the Jason Magri-trained dog will have no trouble seeing out a middle distance.
After the race Magri said: "He got a bit wide on the first turn so I was pleased to see him take the rails run to get underneath Kip Keeping on the back straight.''
Second fastest 520m time of the night was posted by the Andy Lord-trained Canya Smoke Them, who led all way the way in 29.80, while Lord took training honours for the meeting when kennelmate Sir Banjo opened his city account with a comfortable win in 30.06.
"Pace is everything," quipped trainer Kerry Drynan after her bitch Reflections began brilliantly and led all the way for a nippy 29.89 win on Saturday, her sixth WP success in 11 races.
"Reflections raced at Wenty on Wednesday but I wasn't the least bit concerned about her being able to back up tonight,'' Drynan said.
"Actually I think Wednesday's fourth placing did her the world of good because if anything she needed the midweek hit-out.''
It was a fine training performance by Flanagan as Explosive Venom's previous run had been when she finished sixth over 720m at Wentworth Park on August 27.
"She tore ligaments in a hind leg during that race so I kept her fresh for tonight,'' Flanagan said.
"I also tried a couple of different things in her training routine to try and get her to show early speed and it seems to have worked.''
Harrison Keeping surprised trainer Sarah Easey with his determined photo finish win in Saturday's opening race, clocking 30.54 for the 520m.
"The dog slipped well in a post to post gallop at Wenty recently but I didn't think he could win tonight from box eight, he hates being drawn out there,'' Easey said.
"So although the time was slow I was really happy with him because he was probably one run short of being at his absolute best and he was caught wide on the outside of the pacemaker for most of the race.''
