Clash of the titans headlines four-year-old Vicbred heats at Melton

Two of Victoria’s top four-year-olds will square off in a heat of the Rock N Roll Heaven Vicbred Super Series at Tabcorp Park Melton on Friday night.

The pair competed with real distinction in the recent SENTrack Inter Dominion Championships, with Act Now winning two heats and running a mighty third in the final and Better Eclipse claiming a qualifier before finishing seventh in the decider.

Better Eclipse is the richest four-year-old in the country this season, with a bankroll of $473,020 after successes in the $250,000 Chariots of Fire and $152,500 Queensland Sunshine Sprint, and placings in the $1million Miracle Mile and $300,000 Victoria Cup.

Act Now has drawn ideally in barrier four, while Better Eclipse, who is excluded from the draw, will start from three on the second line.

Act Now is a member of the all-conquering Emma Stewart stable, which seems likely to make a sweep of the three heats in the four-year-old entires and geldings’ division.

Narutac Prince (barrier nine), who was placed twice during the Inter Dom series and qualified for the final, and his stablemate Major Moth (one), a very impressive winner last Saturday night, should run the quinella in the opening heat.

In the second qualifier, Idyllic (barrier 10) and Longfellow (one), who finished second and fourth respectively behind Major Moth, will clash for the second time in a week.

The Allan McDonough-trained Blitzern, a last-start winner of the Tassie Golden Apple and before that a runner-up in the Swan Hill Pacing Cup, is also certain to make his presence felt from barrier two in the second heat.

In the Vincent Vicbred Super Series for four-year-old mares, Tough Tilly, Soho Broadway and Tay Tay look the clear top fancies in their respective heats.

Tough Tilly, who will start from barrier three in the opening showdown, is one of the country’s top rating four-year-olds, as she was the previous season at three.

Soho Broadway, a Vicbred and Breeders Crown finalist at two, is resuming after a stint in Western Australia. She has drawn favourably in gate two and should be too strong for her rivals in the second heat, while Tay Tay, winner of the NSW Breeders Challenge Final in October, will commence her bid for a Group double from barrier four in the third.

Dougs Babe (barrier seven), who finished third behind Ladies In Red and Tough Tilly in the recent Breeders Crown, and the in-form Kekoa (five) loom as the main dangers to Tay Tay.