Explosive Venom rattled home along the rails to finish a half-length second to Jason Mackay-trained Fantastic Raven in heats last week. Richmond Vale trainer Mackay, a mentor to Flanagan, also qualified Zipping Maserati with a heat win.

The trio drew the middle boxes for the $50,000-to-the-winner final and Explosive Venom was the outsider of the group at $19 in box four.

Mackay convinced Flanagan to enter Explosive Venom and also took her to the meeting. Flanagan was now confident she could challenge in the final.

"I trialled her through the week and she went the best she ever has," Flanagan said.

"She hasn't got that early speed, like most of them, so I'm hoping she might tuck into the fence, get a couple of breaks and come at them late. If she can go through her gears, she can get them.

"She should have won [her heat]. She just copped a couple of little knocks. I reckon if she stayed in line, she probably would have got it, but it was a pretty fair effort after giving her four lengths."

At The Gardens on Friday, Vencedor won the $14,000 Toledo Final (400m).

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