KEY POINTS:
Allegro Agitato suggested at Alexandra Park last night that she isn't ready to abdicate from her throne just yet.
The veteran trotting mare's title as the Queen of Trotting has been under siege from her own stablemate One Over Kenny in the last month but her all-the-way win in the $50,000 Meadowset Lyell Creek Stakes confirmed she is still our best female squaregaiter.
The race was as good as over after just 100m when Allegro Agitato won the battle for the lead and then controlled the tempo before racing clear at the top of the straight.
That saw her easily hold out One Over Kenny, who flew into second late but was relegated to third for galloping inside the last 50m. That meant Pompallier was promoted to second.
After the race, Allegro Agitato's driver Ricky May admitted that One Over Kenny had closed the gap on his mare but once he led last night he was never going to be beaten.
"I was surprised Phil [Williamson, trainer] thought One Over Kenny was his best chance in the race because this mare has been very unlucky lately," said May.
"I know One Over Kenny is a great mare in the making but I still thought we might have her measure tonight.
"Once she gets in front, Allegro, she is a different horse."
With the gate speed she showed last night, Allegro Agitato will be the horse to beat in the series of rich trotting events coming up in the north, although driver Tony Herlihy was thrilled with One Over Kenny.
"She was really storming home late, which is probably why she galloped," said Herlihy. "But she has really taken that next step."
Not long after one of the old glamour girls of harness racing won last night's big trot, it was the turn of the princess of pacing to head to the winner's circle.
One Dream did just that after an effortless win in the $65,000 Peter Breckon Memorial Ladsyhip Stakes.
The filly gave the fixed odds punter who placed $15,000 on her at just $1.20 no reason for concern as she cruised straight to the lead and was not asked for her best to hold out Running On Faith with a 57.6 second last 800m.
One Dream heads next to the Sires' Stakes series, where she will try to defend the title she won as a two-year-old last season.
"It is good to have her back and I think she will get fitter with that," said co-trainer Dave McGowan in words that will send chills down the spine of rival trainers.
* Later in the night Tony Herlihy produced a masterly drive to get Fergiemack home in the $50,000 Elsu Classic.
Herlihy took the gamble to stay on the markers at the start of the race, meaning he was locked away three deep with a lap to go.
With Gotta Go Cullen carving out quick final sectionals in front, he looked set to win at the top of the straight but when he got the wobbles he was swamped by a wall of horses, with Fergiemack poking through late to grab the win over Days Of Courage and Gotta Go Cullen.
Favourite Changeover made good ground for a close-up fourth after coming wide and will strip a red-hot favourite for the $200,000 Sales Series Pace on December 31, a race for which Fergiemack is not eligible.
