Stem took 16 starts to break through for his maiden win in October and since then has recorded another three wins, a second and a third from six starts.

One of those victories was in the Approved Fire Gear sponsored Summer Cup heats for fourth and fifth grade dogs over 450 metres last Thursday.

The son of Collision and Scavenger Hunt jumped well from box seven in the third heat and led by two lengths going into the turn.

Stem powered home in the straight to set the time standard for the final with 25.21 seconds and beat the Dale Wright-trained Road To Lulu (26.09s) by 12 and half lengths.

The first two placegetters from each of the four heats will contest the $2300 final at the Maitland Showground track this Thursday afternoon.

Swan Bay trainer Charlie Lamb will lead out Two Blue in the final of the Summer Cup after an impressive 25.39s heat win.

Two Blue was last out of the boxes in the first heat but made good use of his rails box to muscle up on the corner and power home late to beat the Robert Stojanov-trained Wicked Tuna (25.42s) by half a length.

The son of Barcia Bale and Wiradjuri Girl has won four of his 10 starts but will need to get out of the boxes a bit quicker this Thursday if he is to be a chance in the final.

The Ron Bell-trained Tiger Tokaam will also be one to watch in the Summer Cup final after an all-the-way win in the third heat.

The son of Don’t Knocka Him and Skyela Tokaam pinged the lids from box five and clocked an impressive 25.29s to beat the Charlie Lamb-trained Here Comes Harry (25.89s) by eight and a half lengths.

Tiger Tokam is a small dog with only four race starts but his good early zip puts him right in the mix for the final.

Wayne Boreland, along with Charlie Lamb, will have two starters in the final after Smart Donatello won the fourth heat in 25.55s.

The son of Magic Sprite and Kellmarg made good use of the one box to rail up into second spot before knuckling down in the straight to beat the Len Studders-trained Miami Theory (25.63s) by a length.

It was nice to see Terry Priest’s grand campaigner Old Spice break through for his first win in eight months in a masters stakes race over 450m.

The Maitland 450m track record holder was always going to be a threat as he shadowed the early leaders into the home straight and and he powered home to beat Charlie Lamb’s Robbie Lee by three and a half lengths in 25.54s.

While the win was impressive the time, however, was a long way from Old Spice’s track record run of 24.68s in May, last year.

Maitland will host heats of the Station Hotel/Motel Australia Day Cup this Thursday with the final to be held on Australia Day.