Lee prepared Jilliby Nitro, a striking black colt, who has won six of his seven starts to date, to score an impressive victory in the two-year-old Breeders Challenge semi-final.

Jilliby Nitro will now start a short-priced favourite in the $125,000 final at Menangle on June 30, as he tries to add a third Group 1 to his resume.

Jilliby Nitro has already won the rich Australian Pacing Gold Final and the Bathurst Gold Crown.

Meanwhile, Slater put the polish on four-year-old mare Goodtime Heaven - a winner of 11 of 15 starts - to win her semi-final.

She too will be hard to beat in the $100,000 grand final at Menangle on June 30.

Both horses were driven by top Terang harness driver Glen Craven. Lee trains at Terang, while Slater is based at Beeac.

A strong local contingent of horses is also currently contesting the Vicbred Super Series races. Terang's Jeff McLean and Matthew Craven will both line up three year olds in heats of Victoria's richest futurity series on Thursday night at Kilmore.

McLean saddles up Nancys Boy in race one, while Craven puts the polish on the impressive Crime Writer in race eight.

Crime Writer finished fourth in the Group 1 Victoria Derby earlier this year and appears well-placed to measure up again to the cream of the state's three-year-old crop after an unlucky second first-up this time in.

More locals will target the Vicbred Super Series trotting races next week, with Craven to aim debutant Pink Galahs at the two-year-old series.

Craven also has Egodan back at the trials and should resume in the near future.

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