Last Friday night at Mandurah, lightly regarded speedster Sunset Ali turned the Winter Sprint (400 m) final into his own highlight reel, exploding from the boxes and never giving his rivals a second invitation. Sent out at a generous $17 on the tote from the awkward middle draw of box five, the David Hobby-prepared chaser showed why tote prices and form lines can sometimes be worlds apart when a greyhound steps to the mark in peak condition.

Seven nights earlier Sunset Ali had announced himself with a barn-storming, come-from-behind heat victory, but few punters appeared convinced he could reproduce — let alone improve on — that effort in the final. Hobby, however, arrived quietly confident that the 29-month-old son of Sunset Spitfire had taken the necessary fitness benefit from the blow-out and would begin more cleanly with the lure of a $12,500 winner’s cheque up for grabs.

When the lids lifted, that confidence was justified in split-second fashion. Sunset Ali pinged the lids with a low, driving first stride, out-muscling fellow pace factor Surf The Sun to cross and dictate terms before the field had travelled 50 metres. Possessing a withering mid-race burst, Surf The Sun tried valiantly to apply pressure down the back, yet Sunset Ali’s superior sectionals told the story. Railing with precision through the bend, he put daylight between himself and the chasing pack, extending his advantage to an emphatic 2 ¼-length margin on the post in a slick 22.31 seconds.

The winning time was only a length outside his personal best — all the more impressive given the cool, still conditions and the energy required to spear across from the middle alley. Hobby was understandably delighted. “He’d been knocking on the door in good company and just needed that little bit of luck early. Tonight he nailed the start and showed what he can really do,” the trainer said post-race.

Victory in the Winter Sprint marks the most significant achievement of Sunset Ali’s career to date, elevating his overall record to 14 wins from 45 appearances and pushing his stakes earnings beyond the $50,000 mark. More importantly, the nature of the performance suggests the brindle flyer is still on an upward trajectory. With the Mandurah Cup series only a month away, connections have an enviable dilemma: freshen him for a crack at the richer 488 m classic or keep him humming over the shorter journeys where his blistering acceleration is a lethal weapon.

Surf The Sun lost no admirers in defeat, boxing on gamely for second, while consistent placegetter King Cobra filled the minors after navigating traffic from an outside draw. Yet the night belonged to Sunset Ali, whose decisive early split and relentless drive to the line left no doubt about the identity of Western Australia’s newest sprint star. If he continues to leave the boxes in similar fashion, bigger trophies beckon as 2025’s feature calendar starts to heat up. For now, though, trainer Hobby and the connections are happy to savour a breakout triumph delivered in electrifying style.