The Victorian stable of John 'Bulldog' Nicholson is hoping to launch a double-pronged attack on next week’s Group 1 Rising Sun.

The Nicholson trained and Michelle Phillips driven four-year-olds Sebs Choice and Alby Two Chains both staked strong claims for invitations following impressive wins in their respective races at Redcliffe on Saturday night.

Phillips achieved a career milestone chalking up her first Group 1 victory after partnering the much improved Sebs Choice to an all the way win in the Redcliffe Cup.

Earlier in the evening Alby Two Chains outclassed his rivals in the opening event scoring unextended by 12 metres in a mile rate of 1:57.7.

“The game plan has been to get the two of them into the Rising Sun,” Phillips said.

“Sebby should get in as every start he has he seems to go up a gear and you would like to think Alby (Two Chains) would receive an invitation as well, he was pretty dominant in winning his race and ran good sectionals,” she said.

It wasn’t such good news for the connections of the Nicholson prepared pacer Its Back In The Day, who was stood down from racing for three months after bleeding in the Redcliffe Cup.

“He will be treated for a week and then head back home,” she said.

The Grant Dixon trained Tims A Trooper emerged from the shadow of his stable mate Leap To Fame when he outstayed his rivals in the Group 3 Redcliffe Derby.

Dixon had the three-year-old well placed in the one-out one-back trail on the back of the $1.65 favorite Ripp before making his run three wide with 400 metres to travel.

Tims A Trooper and Dangerzone made their runs in unison down the home straight with the former prevailing by half a head in a mile rate of 1:56.9.

“I don’t think Ripp handled the turns all that well so I had to get going before the home turn,” Dixon said.

Dixon said Dangerzone got on terms with Tims A Trooper half way down the straight.

“The other horse levelled up with me and we got the result in a tight finish after having a good trip,” he said.

Tims A Trooper has now amassed more than $200,000 in prize money and the son of Tintin In America will be aimed at next month’s South East and Queensland Derbies.

“We’ve always been happy with him but he hasn’t enjoyed the limelight that Leap To Fame has, he is a nice horse in his own right and he’ll go to the Derbies at Albion Park,” he said. “Position in running will be important for him in those races.”

Cameron Hart made it two wins from as many drives on star Victorian filly Amore Vita ($1.04 fav) in the Redcliffe Oaks.

The Nathan Purdon prepared daughter of Art Major gave her supporters little cause for concern after holding out a brief challenge for the lead from Its Back Page News scoring untouched by six metres in a mile rate of 1:56.5.

The Matthew Craven trained four-year-old Lamandier completed a quartet of wins for Victorian trained horses at the meeting when it led all the way in the Garrard’s Horse & Hound Qualifying Pace.

The royally bred son of Somebeachsomewhere is out of Champagne Dreams, who is a half-sister to six-time Group 1 winner Lazarus.

* Pictures courtesy Dan Costello