Flashy speedster Tim Zoo – named after champion Aussie world boxing champion Tim Tszyu – had his opponents ‘on the ropes’ in the $83,000 Group 2 Sportsbet Warragul Cup final (460m) on Friday night.

And he finished it off with a ‘knockout blow’, taking $55,000 ‘out of the ring’ in a sizzling 25.29sec – a new race record, eclipsing by a half-length the 25.32sec mark set by Mobile Legend in last year’s final.

It was also just under two lengths off the 25.19sec track record established by Shima Shine in a heat of the 2021 Warragul Cup.

Tim Zoo has won at Warragul at his past three starts – 25.78sec (Cup heat) and 25.27sec (Mixed 4/5).

Coming out of the ‘check corner’ (Box 2), Tim Zoo ($2.60F) positioned second behind Skinny Olive ($13.60) once the dust settled and then finished with a flurry. He defeated fastest heat winner Nature Strip ($11.90) – which never ‘threw in the towel’ – by 2.9L, with kennelmate Alpha Zulu ($5.80) a further 3L away third.

WATCH: “Tim Zoo boxing clear.” TIM ZOO (B2) sets a ‘punishing’ new race record in the G2 Sportsbet Warragul Cup final.

His champion trainer, Jason Thompson, also had Transponder ($7.20 – 7^th) and Got Attitude ($22.50 – 8^th) in the final.

When the ‘bell rang’ as he crossed the line, Tim Zoo had broken a Warragul Cup jinx for Thompson who has had 19 finalists – including two runners-up and here third placegetters – in the event since 1998.

He had joined his wife, Seona – who won the race with Aston Dee Bee in 2018 – as a Warragul Cup-winning trainer.

What’s more, Thompson finally completed the final piece of a country cups ‘jigsaw’. He’s now won all of them at least once on the Victorian greyhound racing calendar!

Tim Zoo (Oct ’21 Aussie Infrared x Double Supreme) keeps dishing it out to his rivals, having notched his fifth successive win. And he’s now three from four at Warragul.

A finalist in the 2023 G1 Melbourne Cup and runner-up in the 2023 G3 Great Chase, Tim Zoo has won 13 races (with three seconds and two thirds) from 23 starts and $145,465 in prizemoney.

Meanwhile, in other highlights, recent G1 Sale Cup winner Drill Sergeant had his opposition ‘standing to attention’ in the $10,500 Sportsbet Distance Cup (680m).

Prepared by Shane Drummond, Drill Sergeant ($3.70) ‘put them in line’ with an effortless 6.6L victory in 38.80sec.

Tim Zoo had them ‘on the ropes’ in the G2 Sportsbet Warragul Cup final 📷 Clint Anderson

It was his ninth win (with 10 seconds and six thirds) from 37 starts and the $7000 winner’s purse lifted his prizemoney to $173,553.

Three GRV Vic Bred Maiden heats (460m) produced up-and-comers Rapid Heart (25.73sec) – trained by Jason Thompson – and littermates After The Siren (25.73sec) and Read The Room (25.89sec) – both prepared by Karen Pitt.

And Des Douch https://watchdog.grv.org.au/trainer/-239777, who had Skinny Olive (4^th) in the Warragul Cup, landed a double in successive races.

He saluted with Here Comes Milli (25.66sec) in a Grade 5 (460m) and then quinellaed a Free For All (460m) with litter brothers Here Comes Artie and Spot Fox in 25.41sec.

Drill Sergeant with Monique Conti, Shane Drummond and Ellie Blackburn after the Sportsbet Distance Cup 📷 Clint Anderson