Trotters have locked horns at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night for a shot at Group 2 glory and, if the heats are any indication, this weekend’s final is going to be a thriller.

The two heats of the Aldebaran Park Vicbred Platinum Metropolitan Trot were decided by a neck and half-head, with Teetreetommy setting the home straight alight with a last-to-first victory in the first heat and Anywhere Hugo holding off a late challenge in the second. 

Teetreetommy settled towards the tail of the field and driver Anne-Maree Conroy bided her time before unleashing the Julius Caesar gelding around the turn to grab leader Peregrine Phoenix on the line in a 2:00.5 mile rate.

Conroy said piloting the “big awkward” seven-year-old around the last bend was a delicate balancing act.

“He was hanging a bit and it was hard to keep him balanced around the corner,” she told Trots Vision after the race.

“When he was able to navigate that corner and then straighten out he could get home really quickly.”

Conroy said gate four was usually considered a good draw but she didn’t go out on to the track care-free.

“He takes a little while to wind up and he’s not overly quick out of the start,” she said.

“When I drew four I was a little bit worried about it … because he might get caught wide ... so I was lucky the horse inside did something wrong and I was able to get over into the two-wide line early."

In the second heat, Anywhere Hugo used his early speed to lead from the pole, with driver Tayla French able to set an even tempo before holding off a late challenge from Nephew Of Sonoko in a 1:59.9 mile rate.

“When I saw Nephew Of Sonoko coming I knew he would be one of my main dangers; he’s a horse that always knuckles right down to the line,” French told Trots Vision after the race.

“But Hugo, he actually kept fighting him the whole way and for the last 200 metres he didn’t let him go past.”

Anywhere Hugo was one of two Chris Svanosio-trained horses in the heat, with favourite Brandlo Prince finishing fourth after sitting behind the leader throughout.

“(Brandlo Prince is) not really a sit-sprint horse, he has to be out doing it tough and when he got the sprint lane it wasn’t really suited to him,” French said.

“I said before the race to the rest of the stable I was Team Hughie tonight and I was pretty confident if I led that I’d be pretty hard to run down.”

Anywhere Hugo will join Teetreetommy and other heat qualifiers in the $30,000 Group 2 final at Melton this Saturday night, with the meeting jam-packed with features including the Group 3 Allied Express Richmond Lass and Group 3 TAB Derby Royale Trotters Free For All. 

“(The first heat) was run probably upside down to the second heat; the speed was on early, and they sort of walked over the line whereas we didn’t go slow early but were able to hold an even tempo through the whole run,” French said.

“Teetreetommy is always a good horse, when he does win it comes from the clouds; I think they will both match up pretty good.”

Other impressive winners on Saturday night included five-year-old pacer Max Delight, who led comfortably from gate four in the 1720m TAB Young Pedro Free For All for David and Josh Aiken, while talented mare Spellbound continued her magical form in the Nutrien Equine Pace for Nathan Purdon and Stuart McDonald.