Zipping Orlando started his career with a bang in 2022 and is set to continue that form into 2024 by taking out Saturday night's $40,000 to the winner Summer Distance Plate at Wentworth Park.
The Marty Hallinan-owned and Minnie Finn-trained dog, who turns three 24 hours before Saturday's race, opened his career by winning the 2022 Ladbrokes Zoom Top Maiden final at Goulburn.
After winning his first eight races over journeys ranging from 440m to 520m, Zipping Orlando was gradually stepped up in distance and landed the $500,000 first prize in the 2023 The Ladbrokes 715 over 715m at The Gardens.
He will bump his earnings up to more than $862,000 if he wins on Saturday and trainer Minnie Finn believes the dog is better this week than he was when he was run down and beaten two lengths by Zoha Bale in last Saturday's Plate Prelude.
"At his final trial before last Saturday Zipping Orlando caught the lure and because of that I wasn't able to work him in the week leading up to the race,'' Finn said.
"He should be stronger at the finish on Saturday because he has had his normal pre-race preparation.''
Zipping Orlando has box six while Finn also has Zipping Vanessa, who has won seven of her 11 Wentworth Park 720m assignments, ideally positioned in box one.
Zipping Vanessa was never a chance when sixth from box six in her Plate Prelude but Finn said: "I'm hoping box one brings out the best in her because she has been down in confidence at her past couple of starts.''
Queenslander Valpolicella was the unlucky runner in last week's Plate Prelude and trainer Tony Zammit is upbeat about her chances on Saturday.
"Last week my bitch had box two and the dog drawn in one pushed out on her in the run to the first turn,'' Zammit said.
"That inconvenienced Valpolicella enough to prevent her being third in the early stages so I was pleased with the way she got to the line to finish third, just over four lengths from the winner Zoha Bale.
"Valpolicella has box four on Saturday but having a vacant box on her outside is a plus and she will relish the small field.''
Valpolicella after winning the Ladbrokes Christmas Cheer at Wentworth Park in December, 2023.
History's Coming and Hurricane Reign have not even won fifth grades at Wentworth Park but on Saturday night are poised to give their trainer Tom Rees has biggest successes by taking out the Group One finals of the Ladbrokes National Derby and National Futurity.
Rees is hardly a high-profile trainer but neither was 26-year-old Luke Adams when his dog Zipping Moose and bitch Zipping Sapporo landed the big double for him in 2019.
History's Coming was tackling 520m for the first time in nine starts when he chased Good Odds Cobber all the way in last Friday's fastest heat so is expected to be the big improver in the final.
His kennelmate and litter sister Hurricane Reign posted a sensational first split of 5.30 when she led to the home bend before being run down by Gets Late Early in her Futurity heat.
Like History's Coming, Hurricane Reign was facing a 520m test for the first time yet was beaten only a half-length by Gets Late Early in 29.75.
Finn said: "My bitches are both wide runners so they are badly drawn.
"Until last week's heats, I didn't have a big opinion of them and was not going to nominate them for the Futurity until I learned the entries had been extended and GRNSW was short of noms for the race.
"They surprised me with how well they went and I trialled them again at Wenty on Tuesday night and they went better than ever, so their heat wins were not flukes.
"Gets Late Early is quicker than her litter sister Ain't Waiting so she is my better chance.''
Gets Late Early after her Futurity Heat win last Friday night.
Leading trainer Andy Lord considers Saturday night's group one Ladbrokes Paws Of Thunder among the most open since the race's inception.
Lord, who has the vastly improved Nangar Larry in box two, said: "There are three or four finalists with the early speed to be in front so it depends on where they all land by the time they reach the first corner.
"Nangar Larry is nicely boxed and in his favour is that I know he is a die-hard chaser, he is as tenacious in that department as any dog I've had.''
The draw in the Paws Of Thunder favours Dutch Riot, who had box five in his heat but pushed between his rivals to lead at the first turn before winning in 29.51, .02sec faster than Nangar Larry's come-from-behind performance.
