Sky's The Limit For ‘Elite' Black Top Favourite

IT's hardly a startling revelation, but let it be said that Flying Ricciardo is the real deal.

Anyone that may have been questioning the bona fides of the star youngster were quickly silenced at Ladbrokes Gardens on Friday night when the son of Barcia Bale recorded a scintillating 29.17 to win his heat of the Group 2 Black Top.

Stepping out for just start 11, Flying Ricciardo's time was just 1/100th outside Golden Easter Egg winner Zipping Bailey's 29.16 track record.

Tricky draw, first run at the track, open grade opposition … it all meant very little, the boom youngster taking it all in his stride for the most impressive of victories.

And it was a performance that sees the wonder juvenile quoted an odds-on favourite for Friday night's $40,000 to-the-winner finale for trainer Kristy Sultana.

With nine wins and two seconds beside his name from 11 starts, Flying Ricciardo is demonstrating all the hallmarks of being something right out of the box.

Few greyhounds possess devastating sections early, middle and late – but this fella does – in spades. He's absolutely electric.

And remember he's not two until December.

On Friday night he reeled off 4.88 early and 17.01 up the back. Elite sections.

And his run home was full of merit also, any question about whether he was too brilliant to run a strong 500 out the door long ago.

He's the complete package.

But with all that said, and favouritism for the group 2 blockbuster more than deserved, this Friday night's final will be no walk in the park.

It's a final loaded with early speed and pressure from out wide will be intense.

It's a huge ask for a juvenile still just 21 months of age but seeing is believing and from what we've witnessed this rising superstar gleefully accepts anything thrown his way.

After Friday night the old adage ‘if you're good enough you're old enough' definitely comes into play.

A crack at the TAB Million Dollar Chase appears firmly on the cards and with his ascension through the sprint ranks only rising, who's to say the crack youngster won't be in the thick of things come final night either.

He's as an exciting a NSW youngster that we've seen in a long while.

And only seems to be getting better.