Staines Holds Zoom Top Aces

THEY say money speaks all languages.

Well at Goulburn on Tuesday afternoon it was polished in about every dialect you can think of after punters pulled off a plunge and a half with the Neil Staines-trained Lightning Vision in race seven on the program.

Running a breathtaking 24.71 in the fourth heat of the Ladbrokes-sponsored Zoom Top Maiden (440m), Lightning Vision opened $4.80 on Tuesday morning before being crunched late in betting to SP $1.50 when the lids opened.

The money was relentless, particularly in the final minutes of trading. And it paid dividends for those that snapped up the generous early odds.

“It wasn't me, I'm a two bob punter but I had a something on him at the $4.80,” said trainer Neil Staines.

A son of Kinloch Brae and Seeya Sticka, the dam a sister to Sandown Park 515m track record holder Unlawful Entry, Lightning Vision didn't give his legion of backers a moments concern in running, scoring by 5 ¾ lengths to set the series benchmark at 24.71.

“The time he ran didn't really surprise me, he's a fast dog,” added Staines.

“It's been hard to get a strong gauge on times recently at Goulburn – he's been running 25.30 odd in trials but to give you an idea Bogan Doonie had trialled 25.20 and she's a 24.70 bitch at Goulburn.

“I actually had one that trialled 24.70, maybe they thought it was Lightning Vision … but it wasn't.”

The early dash Lightning Vision demonstrated, flying through the first split in 5.63, was sublime.

Runner-up in a heat of the Grafton Maiden Classic earlier this month when on debut for then-trainer Amanda Rayner, Lightning Vision looks set to start a warm favourite for next week's quality finale.

“He wants an inside draw for the final – he really gets going when he finds the fence,” offered Staines.

“I won't say he can go faster in the final but if he runs up to his heat you'd say he'll take a bit of beating.

“His owner Jack Savaglia has been a big supporter of mine, I've got Club Double for Jack as well as some pups. Jack owns thoroughbreds as well, including Group 1 Queensland Derby winner Mr Quickie.”

The second fastest qualifier for next week's $10,000 to-the-winner final is the David Jones-trained Paua Of Oscar, the son of My Bro Fabio and Paua To Admit running a scorching 24.76.

Other heats went the way of Guapo (25.03), Fabulous Penny (25.10), Ebby Infrared (25.13) and Peter Thief (25.61).

The fastest two seconds from the heats were More Than That (25.04) and Gumby's Rhino (25.06), paving the way for their final appearances next week also.

Meanwhile, in the final race at Goulburn on Tuesday afternoon, lightly raced Fabregas chaser Chevy Rock posted a scorching 24.66 for the 440-metres.

Trained by Michael Manuel, Chevy Rock won his first start in a heat of the Grafton Maiden Classic earlier this month, the runner-up in that race … fastest Zoom Top heat winner Lightning Vision.