QUEENSLAND seven-year-old Flashing Red finally shed his big race bridesmaid tag by winning the $105,000 Cadbury Ballarat Pacing Cup, 2710 metres, on Saturday night.
And in taking out the group one event in crack company Flashing Red signalled he is ready to lay claim to even bigger riches - starting with the $450,000 A.G. Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley on February 12.
Flashing Red will then be part of a powerful Australian assault on the Inter-Dominion Pacing Championship in New Zealand, which for his trainer Stuart Hunter cannot come quickly enough.
The Inter-Dominion format of three heats and a final over 15 days is made for Flashing Red, which is one of the toughest horses going around on the Australasian Grand Circuit.
Flashing Red's ability to do it tough was the key to him putting his name on the Ballarat Pacing Cup honour roll.
Victorian reinsman Ian McMahon moved Flashing Red ($13.50) into the deathseat outside Sokyola ($2.70 favourite) with about 1800m to run - a role the son of Echelon has become accustomed to and has grown to revel in.
Although Sokyola had the front, McMahon was able to run the race on his terms.
Putting on the heat, Flashing Red marginally headed Sokyola about 900m out.
Sokyola reclaimed the frontrunning, but it was this relentless pressure which ultimately saw him weaken to fifth place.
Flashing Red moved clear going past the 400m and then comfortably held out relentless New Zealander Mister DG ($3.90), with New South Wales rising star Te Kanarama ($7.10) third ahead of a brave Royal Equity.
Mister DG settled on the back of Sokyola and had every chance to run down Flashing Red. Te Kanarama again ran a bold race, getting home powerfully, while the Ballarat district-owned Royal Equity finished on along the pegs.
Flashing Red is one of Australia's most consistent big race performers.
He has been placed in numerous major feature races - third in 2003 Victoria Cup, second in 2003 Queensland Championship, third in 2003 Trueur Memorial, second in 2004 Fremantle Cup, third in 2004 Australian Pacing Championship,
third in the 2004 Tasmanian Championship and second in 2005 South Australian Cup - but until Saturday night his most significant victory had been the group two $75,000 Queensland Championship last year.
Hunter said it had taken him more than 12 months to work out how Flashing Red should be driven, but now he had found the key there were no limits for the pacer.
"He's a champion."
Flashing Red, which began his racing in Tasmania, now has 26 wins in 103 starts for $450,000 in stakes.
Flashing Red completed a huge night for Hunter and McMahon, who took out the third heat of the Victoria Derby, 2200m, with Sir Galvinator.
McMahon is enjoying his best run since relocating from Queensland to Victoria several years ago.
He drove rising star The Warp Drive to victory in the $50,000 Geelong Pacing Cup on January 22.
And he will stick with The Warp Drive in the Hunter Cup.
"It's not easy getting off Flashing Red, he's really going great. He is flying at the right time, but I've said all along that I think The Warp Drive is a very exciting horse.
"I'm committed to driving him in the Hunter Cup, there's no doubt about that."
Sokyola has been ruled out of the Hunter Cup by trainer-driver Lance Justice who said his champion just "didn't feel right".
"There was no zip. Normally he loves a fight and fights them off but that wasn't the case," Justice said.
Justice said he would give Sokyola a thorough veterinary check and then a small break as he still wants the reigning Australian Horse of the Year to contest the Auckland Inter Dominion.
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