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Liftntorque, Always Fast, Van Mara and Gilty Hanover have so far secured their spots in the $50,000 Group 2 Mercury80 Final.
The quartet qualified via the opening two heats of the inaugural $150,000 series, Liftntorque scoring a thrilling win in the opener in front of a huge crowd on New Year’s Eve, while Always Fast took out Saturday night’s heat.
Always Fast’s time of 82.8 seconds for the 1200-metre trip was faster time than Liftntorque’s 83.4 seconds, meaning the former is the clubhouse leader for the $20,000 series bonus that goes to the fastest horse overall ($10,000 to the horse’s owner(s) and $5000 each to the trainer and driver).
Currently Always Fast’s trainer and driver Emma Stewart and Jackie Barker are in the box seat for the bonus.
Van Mara, from the Kate and Andy Gath camp, and Gilty Hanover, for Kari Males and Michael Bellman, both finished second in their heats.
The Mercury80 third heat will be for horses that are yet to win a race carrying stakemoney of more than $15,000 and will be held this Friday night, while heat four on January 17 will be for horses rated 75 to 84.
If any horse breaks 80 seconds during the series an $8000 bonus will be paid out.
Picture: Jackie Barker and Always Fast prevail in the second heat of the Mercury80. By Brett Holburt
