By George Farrugia.

Without A Trace will start favourite in next Saturday’s Group 1 TRFM Sale Cup after her Best of Night heat victory over the 640-metre trip last night.

The white and black star was headed early by Texas President, and with Tim Zoo looming, the Peter Presutto-trained chaser had to pull out all the stops, eventually showcasing her staying prowess to score in a near record 36.25 seconds.

Her victory ensured she qualified for her seventh Group final from just 25 starts, and victory would give her three Group 1 successes since early November.

The daughter of 2020 Sale Cup winner Houdini Boy will jump from box seven in the final, the same draw she exited in yesterday’s heat.

Without A Trace (7) wins the final heat of the Sale Cup in a best-of-the-night and near track record 36.25 seconds. 

Her rivals include Caco Magic, who backed up his extraordinary Meadows 600-metre track record with a dominant all-the-way heat win in 36.32, only a length and a half behind Without A Trace’s time standard.

The son of Feral Franky and Deep Dive recorded the best second and third splits on the program and he should take benefit from the run seeing it was his first time past 600 metres in an official race.

He has drawn box three in the final and he looks well suited from there.

Caco Magic (8) proves his Meadows track record run was no fluke winning a heat of the TRFM Sale Cup in 36.32 seconds. 

The heats kicked off with Fade To Black leading from go to whoa, continuing his super run of consistency in the latter part of the year.

His winning time of 36.44 and solid first sectional should hold him in good stead despite his tricky draw of six.

Fade To Black (4) leads all the way in the opening TRFM Sale Cup heat.

Ascend Geranium overcame his $15 quote to win heat three in 36.68 after hot favourite Ayden’s Warrior bungled the start, giving local trainer Harley Whelan a shot at Group 1 glory.

Saturday’s final – worth $75,000 to the winner – is one of many features on the night, including the James Yeates Printing Rising Stars final and the Inta Plumbing Sprint Final.

Ascend Geranium (2) gives a Sale Cup heat win to the locals for Team Whelan.