In the first heat for the three-year-old stallions and geldings, the Grant Dixon pair of Happy As Can Be (Always B Miki) and Race for Riches battled out a thrilling finish, with the former holding on to narrowly win.
Driven by Adam Sanderson, Happy As Can Be found the lead from the pole draft with Stay Foolish. Race for Riches was sent around the field halfway through the race by Trista Dixon, which then gave Stay Foolish a good course, one out and one back.
Happy As Can Be was clear on the straightening out but Race For Riches and then Stay Foolish both provided strong challenges and in a thrilling finish Happy As Can had the upper hand over the other two.
Happy As Can Be, raced by Kevin and Kaye Seymour, is out of the smart mare Happy Feelings who won seven races and achieved a fastest time of 1.56.5.
There was little difference between the alternates and the draw will be important for the $100,000 Final on November 15.
Star mare Cool and Classy (Captain Treacherous) made it a double for the Dixon Seymour team when she effortlessly took the all-round victory in the three-year-old fillies heat.
As the winner of the New South Wales Oaks, she appreciated the drop in class and once Trista Dixon had the lead from pole she was always going to be the one to beat them.
The Lady Dior had little luck when she had to race outside the leader. And second favorite Ruby Rules was in all kinds of trouble with a zip three back on track. Cool and Classy rode a scintillating final quarter of 26.4 seconds for a total speed of 1.52.6. The Lady Dior fought for second place, while Reds Ablaze took third place.
COOL AND CLASSIC NOVEMBER 7 REPEAT
And to cap off a great night for Dixon and Seymour, it was a treble thanks to Fight to The End (Bettors Delight) in the third heat. Fight To The End was caught outside the leader Just Pinny, while favorite Ultimate Ark had the one out and one back route.
Fight To The End showed the ill effects of the tough run and showed plenty of skill in holding off the hapless Sweet Lad Jujon who powered his way through the field for second place while Ultimate Ark came home in third.
By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink
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