Talented Tony too fast for rivals

Track record holder TALENTED TONY K proved on Wednesday that his recent Lotto Sprint win was no fluke, wiring five rivals at 1000 metres straight in an open allowance event, which puts him firmly in grade one for coming months.

Partnered by former champion jockey Shane Ellis, whose season has been rejuvenated after undergoing a lean spell earlier this year, TALENTED TONY K dashed to the lead from the off, chased by KING D and POKER STAR.

TRACK RECORD

A speed demon, who, two years ago, equalled the 1000-metre straight track record of 56.1, held jointly by MUSICAL MAESTRO and MINISTEROFJUSTICE, TALENTED TONY K signalled that he was back to his best by defying topweight 57.0 kilos to hold POKER STAR's challenge close home.

Having won the grade one Lotto Sprint two Saturdays ago, TALENTED TONY K still had open allowance credit, which qualified him for Wednesday's race. His Lotto Sprint win counted as an open allowance victory, and his second, which graduates him to grade one.

The 2014 Governor's Cup winner came home in 59.1, winning by a length ahead of POKER STAR, with Omar Walker aboard.

CHAMPION SPRINTER

POKER STAR continues to grope for the form that made him champion sprinter last year, losing a third consecutive race since returning from an eight-month lay-up in May.

Meanwhile, the tough 10-race card, as expected, coughed up two major outsiders: SONADOR EXPRESS at 13-1 in the fourth and RISING BOP at a whopping 53-1 in the eighth.

Things came to a head in the 10th race when 6-1 chance YES SHE WILL beat YES WE WILL, running at odds of 86-1, a tongue-twisting exacta for track commentator Brian 'Spuddy' Rickman, aided by the fact that both are greys.

RISING BOP's shocker, amid just one winning favourite in the Twilight-6, forced a $1.3 million carryover of that bet to tomorrow's meet.