JImmie, Star Racing Writer

BACK-TO-FORM AD INFINITUM should complete a hat-trick of wins tomorrow afternoon when he faces Grade One runners in the 1800-metre Viceroy Trophy.

Seemingly back to his best after finishing third off a five-month lay-up in late June, the six-year-old gelding, who featured in epic classic battles with MIRACLE MAN in 2005, has bypassed a second allowable Open Allowance win for a shot at Grade One.

Dane Nelson is aboard the Anthony Nunes-trained runner, who convincingly beat ACCOMPONG by three lengths at 1820 metres on August 23.

It was a strong win by AD INFINITUM, who is being pointed to November's Superstakes and the remaining big trophy races at the backend of the season.

Tomorrow's test should be a yardstick for AD INFINITUM as three of his rivals, RUM TALK, IVAN THE TERRIBLE and MAJOR MAYER, are also being primed for a shot at the big distance races for the remainder of the year.

Handicaps will play a major role tomorrow as RUM TALK, at 59.5 kilos, and MAJOR MAYER, at 60.5, are both too heavy to beat in-form AD INFINITUM, 54.5 kilos, at the gruelling distance of 1800 metres.

In addition, both horses performed below par, at identical weights, in their last races, allowing IVAN THE TERRIBLE to convincingly beat them with 49.0 kilos when finishing second to ALLIEDFORCE in the August 6 Prime Minister's Stakes at 2000 metres.

IVAN THE TERRIBLE continues to work well and should run a big race with 49.0 kilos but lacks AD INFINITUM's class. In addition, he'll be trying to make all but will be kept honest by MAJOR MAYER, PASSA PASSA and RAMPAGE.

Jockey Dane Nelson need only bide his time, just off the pace, for the first five furlongs, before asking AD INFINITUM to start picking off tired horses leaving the three-pole.

IVAN THE TERRIBLE could still have some fight in him entering lane but should start tiring inside the final furlong and a half out where AD INFINITUM should hit top stride.

If there's a horse to watch, it should be RAMPAGE, who has won as far as up to a mile and was noted closing fast behind CHADMAN at 1300 metres two Wednesdays ago.

RAMPAGE is not too heavy with 55.5 kilos to sit in the catbird seat and try stealing a march. He is not to be underestimated, losing by only a half-length in 1:18.3 for 1300 metres.

$554,954 Pick Six

A punter at Track Price Plus' East Queen's Street branch, downtown Kingston, on Wednesday hit the bookie for $554,954 after staking a $2,000 Pick Six Plus wager on which none of his winning horses exceeded odds of 2-1.

Smartly spreading his bet on four vouchers, $500 each, the lucky punter got his first break when Wayne DaCosta-trained pre-race favourite, LITTLE WASP, rose to odds of 2-1, after wads of cash were dumped on his previously unfancied stablemate, CALL OF THE WILD.

BULLET TRAIN, another DaCosta runner, ridden by Omar Walker, proved kind to the Track Price Plus bettor, winning at 8-5, followed by another 8-5 shot, INTROSPECTION, who also made all under the champion jockey.

EMAN at 6-5, FULL SPECTRUM at 2-5 and PRINCESS NESSA, at even-money, completed a big payday for the punter, who saw each of his vouchers earning $138,738.60, doubled by the Pick Six Plus mechanism.

Take a shot at the bookie tomorrow with AD INFINITUM in the ninth, MY SPACE in the first, MINISTEROFJUSTICE in the third, MARKET BRIDLE in the fourth, MR BUTCHER in the sixth and NATURALLY ROYAL in the eighth.