Sooty Keeping continued her love affair with box one with an emphatic race record-smashing win in Saturday night's group one Ladbrokes Paul Wheeler final at Wentworth Park.
Trained and owned by Charmaine Roberts, Sooty Keeping exploded from the boxes and led throughout to beat the gallant runner-up Taormina, who chased her all the way, by just over a length.
Sooty Keeping, who has now won nine of her 10 appearances wearing the red rug, covered the 520m in 29.33, not only her personal best WP figures but .07sec faster than the 2024 winner Blue Kermaro, who had run a race record of 29.40.
Before the race, Charmaine Roberts' partner Shayne Stiff said: "People seem to be shying away from Sooty Keeping because she took 29.81 to win her heat of the Paul Wheeler.
"But she equalled the track record on our straight track at home in the week leading up to the Paul Wheeler final so is right at her peak.''
Last year Sooty Keeping just missed qualifying for the Paul Wheeler final, and had to be content with taking out The Collerson, the traditional consolation final for the Group One race.
Saturday's version was won by the Sam Sultana-trained Joanne, who stunned the crowd by giving the 2025 National Derby winner Paw Oswald a start and a beating in a smart 29.53.
Sam Sultana trained Joanne's dam Yuko Girl, the 2023 Richmond Oaks winner, but was lucky to acquire Saturday night's winner.
After Joanne's brilliant win on Saturday, GBOTA director Brian Barton, who races Thursday night's impressive Wenty winner Wyndra All Heart, explained: "I bought pups from Yuko Girl's mating to Fernando Bale before they were born in December, 2023.
"A friend of mine was set to buy Joanne just before she was educated but could only afford a half share and I was reluctant to go into a partnership.
"So I phoned Sam Sultana and offered the brindle bitch which now races as Joanne to him for $13,000, and he bought her then sold her to present owner Allan Denham.''
Late In Winter will tackle the heats of the Beast Unleashed Gosford Cup on Boxing Day after again displaying dazzling early pace to lead all the way in 29.78 at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Late In Winter is owned and trained by Pauline Moran, who, along with her late husband Steve Moran, trained the former champion stayer Total Denial.
After Late In Winter's win on Saturday, his third in five Wentworth Park outings, Nicole Wallace, the Morans' daughter, said: "Total Denial was owned by Leighton Winter, and he selected tonight's winner as a pup.
"My late dad Steve instructed us to name the pup after Leighton, so that's how we came up with the name Late In Winter.''
Cool Disguise proved her defeat of $1.50 favourite Classy Bandit in the heat was no fluke when she ran down Cash Me Out to take out Saturday's Festivus Cup final.
After the race Cool Disguise's trainer Mick Hardman said: "I'm so pleased for this bitch's owner Trent Anderson.
"Before last week he was a bit down, pointing out he had bred all these youngsters and had not had a city winner in 2025.
"Cool Disguise then came out and won her Festivus Cup heat and now she has won the final, with Trent Anderson texting me immediately exclaiming 'how good is this'!''
Suribachi went into Saturday night's Christmas Cheer 'under-done' but despite having her first 720m test in nearly three months, led all the way in 42.08.
Trainer Ruth King said: "I have not been able to get a 720m race for her so since coming back from injury she has had only two 520m races.
"Leading up to Saturday's race all Suribachi had was a 366m trial up the straight at Appin on Tuesday.''
While Sooty Keeping's race record Paul Wheeler win in 29.33 was best time of the night, Allan Keeping, raced by her owner Charmaine Roberts and trained by Jason Magri, clocked next fastest 520m figures on Saturday when he led throughout in 29.48.
