IF Flying Dubai can maintain the form that took him to a convincing victory in Hobart last Sunday night, then connections can expect to have a tidy bank roll for Christmas.
The Maurice Keating-trained seven-year-old produced a last-to-first performance to win the Wrest Point Stakes (C2-C3) over 1609 metres, scoring by two metres from Prettyboytoby with Ark West another four metres away third.
Despite having decent form against similar opposition going into the race, punters shied away from the son of Resurgent Dragon and sent him around a $25 outsider.
In-form reinsman Ricky Duggan eased Flying Dubai back to the rear from his outside-second-row draw and there he staid until the bell lap when Duggan made his move entering the back straight the last time.
The gelding was held up a number of times heading down the back stretch and he was the widest runner turning for home.
But once balanced in the home straight he set sail after the leaders and was surging clear of his rivals on the line.
Flying Dubai showed great potential in his early years when in the care of trainer Brendan Pursell but when he opted to take a break from harness racing the gelding was dispatched to Keating.
Pursell has since taken up greyhound training and is rapidly earning a reputation as a quality mentor in that code.
Flying Dubai is owned in Victoria by Betty Dove.
The gelding has notched four wins and 10 minor placings from only 34 starts for $26,000 in stakes but given the way he won last Sunday that pot is sure to grow in the coming months.