Bettor's Strike won the 1-win and faster heat over 1950m (mobile) yesterday by nine lengths in 2.23.9 (a 1.58.7 mile rate).
He ran the last 800 in 59.5 and the final 400 in 29.8.
Bettor's Strike, who won the Victoria Cup, has been freshened since failing in the Hunter Cup 19 days ago.
He has the City Of Auckland Free-For-All, a $50,000 2200m (mobile) on Friday week as his lead-up to the group one $500,000 Auckland Cup (2700m) the following Friday night.
Empyrean showed he would be a force in 2yr-old races with a dashing win yesterday.
The son of Christian Cullen and the grand racemare Sparks A Flyin, won a heat over the 2000m (mobile) by five lengths in 2.30.8 (a 2.01.3 mile rate).
He covered the final 800 in 57.3, the last 400 in 27.5.
Sparks A Flyin won 21 races and stakes of $627,218 from the Cran Dalgety stable for Jim and Susan Wakefield who race Empyrean and Bettor's Strike from the Dalgety barn.
Empyrean is the second foal of Sparks A Flyin, who has left Diomedes (by McArdle) the winner of eight races.
Montecrengle created a fine impression when he qualified 10.4 seconds under the required time at Winton yesterday.
Montecrengle, a Christian Cullen-Little Egypt 3yr-old, trained by Lauren Pearson at Winton, recorded 3.03.6 for the 2400m, running the last 800 in 56.5 and the final 400 in 27.1.
