Pukekohe trainer Steven Reid was left speechless after tonight’s $30,000 Group 3 Summer Cup at Alexandra Park following a brilliant performance by Star Galleria.

The four-year-old ran what is believed to be the fastest official last half in the history of the course -53.6secs – on his way to downing hot favourite Heaven Rocks via the passing lane.

The race time equaled the national record but Heaven Rocks’ effort off a 20-metre handicap was adjusted to be 1.5secs under the national mark, though it won’t be acknowledged as the new record.

After considering his words for 10 seconds, the usually effusive Reid had nothing to offer post-race.

“I don’t know what to say about that,” he said as he admired the horse in the wash bay.

“Look at him – he’s blowing up across the back.

“It’s like he’s hardly had a run.”

That may be a telling factor in Reid’s next decision – whether to line him up in the Franklin Cup next week or wait until the Auckland Cup on New Year’s Eve.

“I don’t really want to back him up next week, but I don’t know if I can risk going in to the Cup with three weeks between races.”

With Tony Herlihy serving a two-meeting suspension this week, Zachary Butcher took the reins on a one-off basis behind Star Galleria tonight.

“It was a pretty big effort to peg back Heaven Rocks.

“He was flat when he first got in to the passing lane, but he had every right to be with the speed they were going.

“Once he balanced up he really charged home.

“To be fair to Heaven Rocks he has gone massive off the handicap, too.

“Only a few horses have ever run past him when he’s right and one of them is Lazarus.”

Butcher will resume his association with Jack’s Legend – who had a solo workout with a galloping pacemaker between races tonight – in next week’s Franklin Cup and Herlihy will return to the cart behind Star Galleria if he lines up.

Judge Graeme McClennan said he could not absolutely confirm whether it was the quickest last half in the track’s history, but he suspected it might be.

“Regardless, the times from that race were sensational,” he noted.