Million Dollar Chase runner-up Zipping Kyrgios is primed to defend his Black Top title after trialling at The Gardens in better time this week than he did before last year's triumph.
Zipping Kyrgios headlines a quality list of runners across five heats of the group 2 Black Top (515m) at The Gardens on Friday night and he has drawn perfectly in box one for the final qualifier.
A son of Aussie Infrared and Zipping Lilly, Zipping Kyrgios was strong late to finish just a quarter of a length away from winner McInerney in the Million Dollar Chase finale on Saturday night at Wentworth Park for western Sydney trainers John and Minnie Finn.
The $100,000 prize for second took his earnings to $544,015 across 72 starts, which have featured 31 wins.
That record includes two victories from two starts at The Gardens, from last year's series, where he clocked 29.24 and 29.28 seconds. The track record stands at 24.16.
Minnie Finn said Zipping Kyrgios had shown he was going as well, if not better, than this time last year.
"He's drawn well, but it doesn't really matter what box he gets as long as he comes out," Finn said.
"He went good [Saturday night] but the winner was just too good. They just went too quick in it early.
"I actually took him up [to The Gardens] on Monday night and gave him a real short box-to-box [trial], just because he hasn't been there for 12 months, and he went a bit quicker than what he went last year [in a pre-series trial], so he's going good."
Agland Luai (box eight), which was fourth in the MDC, is among the challengers to Zipping Kyrgios.
The Finns have a runner in four of the five heats. Their other good chance is Million Dollar Chase finalist Gatlin, which backs up in heat one from box six.
Gatlin was last in the MDC decider and was stood down by stewards for seven days after an examination found a near-side pectoral muscle strain.
The Finns, though, had the order lifted and Gatlin trialled well at The Gardens on Monday.
"I got it cleared and I took him up there on Monday night and he actually went really well," Finn said.
Gatlin faces a hot heat featuring two-time Million Dollar Chase consolation race winner Zipping Maserati from box one. Good Odds Emma (box three), Branxton trainer Susan Smith's Vamoose (four) and Mark Davidson-prepared Fat Boy's Charm (eigth) are other threats in the race.
Although drawn poorly in six, Gatlin has an empty box five on his inside.
"That'll help him," Finn said. "He needs a couple of steps to get clear air."
The Finns also have Zipping Lyris (heat three) and Zipping Wilbur (heat four) but both have middle boxes and stiff opposition.
Heat four is headlined by MDC finalists French Martini (box six) and Hold Me Up (one). Jason Mackay-trained Impress Shades (four) is another threat.
Mackay also has a strong hope with Fat Boy's Dream (box four) in heat two. Frank Hurst-trained star Good Odds Cash (box six) is favourite in heat three.
