He clocked one minute, 53.2 seconds to trounce the Michael Stanley-trained Young Modern, who is also named to start in Ballarat and District Trotting Club's Boxing Day feature race at Bray Raceway, but being a trial means the time is not an official record.

The track record stands at 1:55.4, held by the fellow Emma Stewart-trained Guaranteed.

BDTC and Victorian Harness Racing Sports Club have injected an extra combined $1500 for the winning owner, boosting the prize pool to $16,505.

The move comes in the wake of the Ballarat Pacing Cup oversized sulky debacle almost a fortnight ago when six of the 10 runners in the group 1 feature, including Philadelphia Man, were scratched after stewards cracked down on a make of sulky deemed unfit for racing in Australia. Interestingly, the make was UFO-branded sulkies the naming sponsor for the Australia Cup.

BDTC has declared free admission on Boxing Day night to help make it up to fans for a situation beyond its control.

There will be a host of chil-dren's activities, Lindt chocolate and Coca-Cola giveaways, live music and two-for-one dining packages in the Terrace Restaurant.

For Philadelphia Man, it is a chance to resume building on a stellar run. The six-year-old has two wins from two starts this season in a sound comeback from a two-year battle with leg injuries.

melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au