Trainer Chris O'Brien breathed a sigh of relief when his brilliant front runner Mortified nailed the all-important start as she emerged victorious in her keenly anticipated clash with National Distance Championship winner Palawa King over 520m at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Mortified, who had box four, got away cleanly but only just managed to beat Return Mac, box two, to the first turn.
At that point Return Mac veered off the track and hampered Tommy Kade (box eight) before recovering to be runner-up to Mortified, just over four lengths away.
Palawa King, after being last away from box five, collided when fifth on the back straight and flashed home to finish third, just over five lengths behind Mortified.
After the race Chris O'Brien said: "I knew she needed to jump well tonight because Return Mac, who drew inside her, has plenty of early speed.
"Mortified only just cleared Return Mac going into the first turn, she got about a length in front of him before he ran off the track.
"Now I will just keep ticking her along until the Million Dollar Chase semi-finals at Wenty on October 6.''
Shayne Stiff, trainer of Return Mac, was rapt in his dog's performance but said: "He is two lengths short of being a top notcher.
"When he gets pressured from his outside, like he was tonight when Mortified crossed him, Return Mac runs off the track.
"He doesn't get anywhere near as wide if he is left alone in front.''
Palawa King's trainer Jack Smith is leaning towards the 520m Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase despite his dog's lack of early speed, when he would be early favourite for the 720m Sydney Cup, worth $100,000 to the winner.
Zipping Vanessa staged an outstanding trial for the October 6 Sydney Cup heats with a hollow win in Saturday night's 720m fifth grade, her fifth win in seven long distance races at Wentworth Park.
Zipping Vanessa, a risky beginner, was second away and after trailing pacemaker Bandit Jane to the winning post with a lap to go, forged to the lead at the catching pen and careered away to score by nine lengths.
Zipping Ronaldo, a kennelmate of Zipping Vanessa, overcame a slow start but was aided by a dream rails’ run at the first turn before opening his account at his second Wentworth Park appearance in a 520m fifth grade on Saturday.
The John Finn-trained Zipping Savannah led to the first turn but ran wide, presenting Zipping Ronaldo with a perfect passage along the fence to hit the front at the catching pen before scoring by five lengths in 29.85.
John Finn's wife Minnie said later: "Zipping Ronaldo is a very good young dog but he needs the fence badly so box one was ideal for him tonight.''
The Finn clan provided the first four in the opening race, with John and wife Minnie Finn training the winner, runner-up Zipping Swift and fourth placegetter Zipping Savannah.
Minnie's daughter-in-law Courtney Barnes is the trainer of minor placegetter Charlee's Tommy.
Trainer Joe Estephan was surprised his dog Flash As Joe was sent out as a $12 outsider before notching his third Wentworth Park win in a 520m fifth grade on Saturday.
Flash As Joe trailed pacemaker Spring Elegance to near the home bend before surging to the lead at the top of the straight and coming away to win easily in 29.81.
Estephan said later: "At Flash As Joe's previous race, at Dapto on September 7, he was chopped out in the early stages but still clocked the fast time of 29.96 to finish fourth.
"I was confident that if he got a clear run tonight he would win.''
Marty and Fiona Hallinan, owners of Zipping Ronaldo and Zipping Vanessa, got their hat-trick on Saturday when the Jason Magri-trained Zipping Smudge scored his eighth win in nine starts, clocking 29.74 in a 520m fifth grade.
