Shadow Storm became the first horse to win using a sprint lane that came into effect on the harness racing Hobart track two weeks ago.
It was only a matter of time before it happened but it probably would have had a greater affect had the winner been one of the favourites.
Hobart was the first track in Australia to introduce a sprint lane in the late 1990s when racing was held on the old Royal Showground track and it almost led to a boycott when most drivers and trainers objected to its introduction.
The pressure applied by participants was so great it eventually led to the sprint lane's demise but a few years later almost every major track in Australia was installing a sprint lane or passing lane as they were then known.
Shadow Storm was friendless in the betting drifting from $21 to start at $46 and one of the rank outsiders.
But given a gun run on the back of the leader Johns Legacy, the gelded son of Mr. Feelgood settled well and when presented with the sprint lane at the top of the straight he stormed home to win convincingly from Johns Legacy and Miss Ruthless.
Peter Staples