Despite being rated a $10 outsider in a class four-dog field, Tiggerlong Tonk lead from start to finish to claim the $25,000 winner takes all invitational at Sandown Park on Thursday.

It was the ideal preparation for this Friday's Melbourne Cup heats at the same track for the multiple Group One winner, who now boasts 31 wins from 59 race starts.

He stopped the clock in a career best 29.03 seconds over 515m, outclassing Topgun winner Shima Shine by one-and-three-quarter lengths.

The two-year-old has subsequently been installed a hot $2 favourite in his Melbourne Cup heat on Friday, where he has drawn box four.

"There doesn't seem to be much speed on the inside of him either, which is good. If he jumps out and goes straight, he should just about lead again," Finn said.

"I had one in the heats years ago and it came second, it would be good to get one in there.

"I leave everything up to Correy (Grenfell, trainer) with what he does with them, but the Melbourne Cup has been the plan all the way through.

"He goes better on the bigger tracks because he's a big striding dog. The one turn at Sandown suits, he seems to go a lot better on them.

"I think that's the third quickest time there's been at Sandown this year (last week), they don't go much quicker than that."

Tiggerlong Tonk's main threat in the heat will be Immunity, a young bitch which boasts nine wins from 11 races.

The Jason Thompson-trained one-year-old was rated a $3.70 chance on Wednesday afternoon, and will jump from box seven.

"It's only a young dog and it's still getting educated, but it's a quick dog," Finn said.

"I'm working today (as a high pressure cleaner), but in a couple of weeks' time I mightn't be."

Connections of the Melbourne Cup winner will pocket $435,000, with second and third receiving $130,000 and $65,000 respectively.

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