The Fiery Ginga trotted his way to a sub-2.00 mile rate win at the Forbury Park trials yesterday ahead of his clash against Stig at Addington on Friday night.
The CR Commando 7yr-old, who won impressively at Addington on August 23, was sent to the lead off the mobile arm in his free-for-all assignment against the pacers yesterday.
Trainer-driver Alan Clark kept the pressure on throughout and the gelding carved out the 2200m in 2.43.5 - a mile rate of 1.59.6.
He was nominated for a special handicap trot at Winton on Sunday, where he would have been starting off 90m, but he was the only nomination for the race.
By contrast, the feature trot at Addington has a swag of nominations, including reigning trotter of the year Stig, Sovereignty, Stylish Monarch, Jag's Invasion and the Jonny Cox and Amber Hoffman pair of Jaccka Jack and Jaccka Justy.
Cherokee Charlie, third behind The Fiery Ginga, is still a trial or two away from the races, co-trainer and driver Jonny Cox said.
Clark also prepared two other trial winners, as the Ngaire Buchan-driven Speedy Success - nominated for both Addington and Winton - held off the fast-finishing Mum Beat Lyall by two lengths in 2.59.3 for the 2200m trot.
Mum Beat Lyall is nominated for a start at Winton on Sunday, and trainer Martin Denton said the addition of block blinds seemed to work well yesterday.
The 2yr-old trotter Sunstar continues to improve, missing the qualifying time of 3.04.7 by 0.1sec after being slightly slow away.
Roxburgh trainers Geoff and Jude Knight had four pacers attempting to qualify in the opening heat, and two - Kiwi Az and She's Desperate - went back to Roxburgh safely qualified.
Kiwi Az, a 4yr-old P-Forty Seven gelding, finished off well to better She's Desperate (Royal Mattjesty-Mrs Soleece) in 2.51.7.
Kiwi Az will be back at Forbury Park on September 21 to make his debut, while She's Desperate will continue to trial, Geoff Knight said.
Torpedo, who finished third in the trial, will have a spell, while Go Onedin, who broke at the start, would stay in work.
Yesterday's trial meeting also marked the first trials drive for Maruia Parker. The 21-year-old from Roxburgh works for the Knights and her first drive was behind Sonia Ellen, who finished fifth behind The Fiery Ginga.
