David Aiken took the last of the semi-finals tonight.
The hype that built towards Breeders Crown semi-final night at Bray Raceway Ballarat overflowed in a stellar showing of trotting across each of the eight qualifiers.
The first race was dominated by Luke and Belinda McCarthy as favourite punters faltered.
Bling It On started just second favourite, despite already being a Group 1 winner, on the back of support for Kiwi hopeful Our Maxim.
Messini was quickest to begin off the front line and found the front in the early stages however when Bling It On moved up mid-race, the colt by American Ideal was able to take the lead with over a lap to go.
It turned into a precession from there with the McCarthy-trained runner sizzling home in 54.3 to give his rivals no chance of getting near him.
The margin of 9.3 metres to Our Maxim was indicative of just how strongly the well fancied juvenile dispatched of his rivals.
Messini held on to third a nose behind the second placegetter while Handsome Major was a further 20 metres away in fourth.
The mile rate was timed in 1:57.8.
Frith did as many expected and franked her $1.10 odds from her polemarking draw in the first semi-final for three-year-old fillies.
Mustering enough to lead, Getya Wings Out ended up with the one by one trail as Our Femme Fatale worked from the second row to find the death by the bell lap.
With a cheap first half of the last mile in 62.1, Bruce Harpley rolled home in 57.7 to beat her rivals by almost 10 metres at the post.
Roughie Lombo Keepa Secret was able to run home from three back on the pegs to nail down second from Getya Wings Out who was brave in third. The mile rate came in 1:58.0.
The Tasmanians continued the theme of big margins in the first semi-final for three-year-old colts and geldings.
Pachacuti continued to work forward in the middle stages in order to find the death seat outside the leader.
Burninupthestarzzz for Kerryn Manning had sufficient speed to find the front from barrier four before Lance Justice and Magnificent Art worked from the second row to find the top mid-race.
Pachacuti went clear of his rivals by 7.1 metres from Modern Max and Blissful Guy in a 57.5 last half.
The mile rate was a speedy 1:57.0 due to the strong speed from the outset.
Our Sky Major has already taken a repechage in brilliant time at Ballarat and he continued his Bray Raceway form defeating three of the best two-year-old’s in Australia.
A leader from the pole, he pinched a 31.7 first quarter of the last mile before rocketing home in a 55.5 last half to hold Lettucerockthem, All Eyes On Us and Major Secret.
The margins were settled at just over three metres by one metre in a mile rate of 1:58.3.
Queensland tasted success in the second semi-final for three-year-old fillies as Montana Marie upset the apple cart of odds-on favourite Im Smouldering in a mile rate of 2:00.7.
In a surprise to some, the Darrel Graham-trained filly sped to the lead in front of the polemarking fancy.
Im Smouldering wasn’t able to bridge the 3-metre margin as the line approached however she safely held second from the Cran Dalgety-trained Safedra who landed three pegs in the run.
The last half came in a slick 55.7 on a night which produced outstanding racing from start to finish.
Cran Dalgety didn’t have to wait long to find a winner on the night with Bit Of A Legend smashing his rivals in the second semi-final for three-year-old colts and geldings.
The rising star of New Zealand racing paced to a 1:57.0 mile rate with a 55.6 last half thrown in.
Leading from barrier four, second-favourite Nowitzki was produced mid-race to sit parked however was never able to match the picket-fence form of the Kiwi.
The margin of 13.2 metres proved why Bit Of A Legend was well backed in the early TAB fixed odds market for the final.
Nowitzki held on for second narrowly from the Steven Duffy-trained Almost El Eagle and Major Calipso.
The well-backed all-in runner Chilli Palmer managed only seventh from his tricky draw of 12.
Majestic Amy caused what many would consider the upset of the series with a starling win from three back on pegs.
Again, an almost 10-metre margin from Mark Purdon-trained filly Te Amo Bromac ensure she will be well-fancied come August 18.
The mile rate was recorded in 1:59.7 with a 56.6 last half proving the winner sprinted strongly up the Bray Raceway straight.
The last race went more to script for favourite backers as the well supported Quick Draft holding off the fast-finishing Whereibylong.
The David Aiken-trained, Chris Alford-driven filly continued her consistent two-year-old season to take out the second semi-final for two-year-old fillies.
Luda landed third in a mile rate of 1:59.0 with the last half coming in 58.6.
Quick Draft has now taken her record to four wins from 10 races, putting her in contention for the final next weekend.
