We kept on hearing that so much hinged on the charge to the first turn in the final of the Group 2 Sires On Ice Black Top at LADBROKES GARDENS. In the end it actually proved critical.
But it wasn’t just about who rounded the turn first - although that had raised plenty of pre-race questions - but exactly where could last week’s fastest qualifier Zipping Kyrgios find himself.
The answer was … in the perfect spot.
And as a result Zipping Kyrgios captured his first Group 2 success and continued to build on what is rapidly becoming an imposing resume.
With a field overflowing with early speed runners, the dash to the first turn was an intriguing one, with pre-race favourite More Sauce with the benefit of box one, expected to rail around the bend in front.
More Sauce jumped well as did Zulu Warlord, and the pair matched strides to the turn, but from his box five draw, using his now customary track smarts, Zipping Kyrgios was able to slide across and find the fence on the back of the leaders.
While Zulu Warlord and More Sauce matched motors up the back, Zipping Kyrgios sat a few lengths behind, then coming to the home turn he switched around the pacemakers, and powered to the lead to score in 29.28s.
More Sauce held on for second 2¼ lengths adrift, with Zulu Warlord a further ¾ length away in third.
“We knew he could come out well enough and if he could get a possie around the first turn that he would be very hard to beat,” said trainer John Finn’s wife Minnie.
“We did have faith because he is such a good dog, and over the last couple of months he has just been airborne and doing everything right.
“When I saw him so close down the back, I thought he was going to win from there.
“It’s a big thrill to come up here and win this race. It’s been a lot of hard work getting here with Covid and having to come up and trial, and he’s done a super job.”
Minnie said they will see how Zipping Kyrgios pulls up before deciding where to next, but there are plenty of feature races on the horizon.
The Phoenix qualifying series at Wentworth Park and the Melbourne Cup are two events they are likely to target.
The Black Top success adds to his Group 3 victory in the Bob Payne at Wentworth Park earlier this year. In a stellar year, he has also reached the finals of the Golden Easter Egg, the Maitland Cup, the Brother Fox at Dubbo, represented NSW in the Origin series, and equalled the track record at Dubbo.
Zipping Kyrgios has now won 20 of his 39 starts, and Friday’s win took his earning to over $180,000.
More Sauce and Zulu Warlord were far from disgraced, and the runner-up is due to win a feature race soon having also finished second in the Maitland Gold Cup earlier this year.
More Sauce’s brother and kennelmate Casual Glance didn’t step as well as he normally does and was unable to get across from box 8, and with that went his chance of winning.
In the night’s other feature, the consolation of the Black Top, The MACCA, named in honour of iconic Hunter Valley race caller John McDermott who passed away late last year, victory went to 2020 Lismore Cup winner, Fire Legend.
"I've been trying to win it for a few years because MACCA was a great friend of everyone as we know especially around this area," said Fire Legend's trainer Mark Moroney.
"Fire Legend's mother Tick Away Fire got beaten a half head (by Brad Hill Billy) a few years ago (in 2015) and we've been trying to win it ever since.
