Using their hometrack advantage, Myrniong Magic and Lace Monster claimed upset wins in the world’s richest race series.

Brian Honey never planned on entering Lace Monster in the series, but now he’s very pleased he did.

Assuming the series would be too strong for the bitch, Wagga’s heats were never in his plans, but with the club short of nominations he threw his hat in the ring.

It worked out perfectly.

“We helped them out but when you are in it you are a chance,” Honey said.

Honey was hoping Lace Monster ($42.10) could find the rails pre-race after drawing the widest box and she managed to do so.

From there luck was on her side as she gained a saloon passage along the rail as her rivals drifted out in the straight.

Diving through late, she went on to defeat Zipping Buck ($4) by a half length.

Often ruing how unlucky she can be, Honey was thrilled everything worked out this time around.

“I wanted her to creep up on the rails and they all run off so she just kept coming,” he said.

“That is the style of racing she does.

“We think she might develop into a good stayer later on.”

Honey believes she is becoming a smarter race bitch and hopes she can back it up in the final.

In the first of the heats, Myrniong Magic proved too strong for resuming Group One winner Blue Sky Riot.

The bitch hadn’t run since being injured in a Golden Easter Egg heat in March and despite doing her best work late couldn’t run Myrniong Magic ($23.80) and had to settle for third.

A winner over the track and distance three starts back trainer Ben Talbot was pleased with his effort.

“He’s a handy dog and if he gets things his own way he wins,” Talbot said.

He went on to defeat Corleone King ($14.60) by ¾ lengths.

It was almost a heat double, and three wins in a row, for Talbot with Mr Automatic successful in the race between the heats.

Hpwever Zipping Buck was just nabbed on the line by Lace Monster in the second of the feature heats.

Talbot thought he was unlucky not to come away with the win.

“There was a little bit of interference in the straight there which was unlucky, but that is racing,” he said.

Wagga’s final will be held on September 14 with the top two qualifying for the semi-finals at Wentworth Park on October 12.

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