KEY POINTS:
MELBOURNE - Buoyed by Glenbogle's all-the-way win in the Collins Mile, New Zealand trainer Kevin Fairbairn will chase his first Australian group one success in Saturday's Australian Grand Prix at Moonee Valley in Melbourne.
Fairbairn, from Canterbury, believes there is plenty of improvement in Glenbogle, who recorded a
race record in winning the A$50,000 ($57,800) Bill Collins Mile (1609m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday night.
He said the extra distance of the Grand Prix (2570m) would suit his horse and stablemate Whatsundermykilt, who finished 15m away in fifth place after being slow away.
Glenbogle exacted revenge on Clares Brother, who defeated him in last year's Bill Collins Mile.
The 7-year-old, a $4.60 second favourite, reversed the result by scoring a 3m win from Clares Brother.
There was three-quarters of a metre to A Touch Of Flair ($1.80 fav).
It was still a big run from A Touch Of Flair, who raced in the parked out position and fought on strongly.
Glenbogle clocked a career best 1:57.1sec for the 1609m as he took six-tenths of a second off the record set by Take A Moment four years ago.
Said Fairbairn: "When he went to the front I thought he would be hard to beat.
"He's settled in really well at Chris Alford's and I knew it would take a big effort for something to get past him."
The gelding produced a 56.5 second final 800m burst to score his biggest win in Australia.
Safely through those races, Fairburn's pair will lead the New Zealand charge for the Interdominion Trotting Championships which start at Moonee Valley on December 29.
Earlier in the night, champion 3-year-old Lombo Pocket Watch stretched his winning streak to 18 when he led throughout to win the Australian Gold Pacing Final for colts and geldings.
It was his sixth group one win and his 1:57.4 mile rate was just two-tenths of a second outside the track record for 2100m.
Trainer Paul Fitzpatrick said Lombo Pocket Watch would now head to the group two A$50,000 Victoria Sires Classic at Moonee Valley on December 29.
Flashing Red, winner of last month's New Zealand Trotting Cup in Christchurch, posted a track record in winning the Popular Alm Free-For-All at Moonee Valley and ensuring himself a start in the A$325,000 Victoria Cup at Moonee Valley on Saturday night.
He clocked a mile rate 1:55.4 after sitting parked.
Geoff Webster, who partnered his own horse Scruffy Murphy in the Popular Alm Free-For-All, will drive the in-form Flashing Red in the Victoria Cup.
- AAP