EMERGING Aussie star Colt Thirty One moved a step closer to the Auckland Inter Dominion with his big showing in the Victoria Cup.

The five-year-old got a big tick from connections for his late-closing and slightly unlucky second to Bling It On in last Saturday night’s record-smashing Cup.

Colt Thirty One, the best horse Queensland has produced since the mighty Blacks A Fake, had a lovely run behind leader, Cash N Flow, but had to wait for the sprint lane run while Bling It On was in the clear, hitting full speed and away and gone at the top of the Melton straight.

“He ran well on the night and showed he can measure-up, but was beaten by a better horse on the night,” a humble owner-breeder Kevin Seymour said.

“I think, as you do, Colt Thirty One will measure-up to the standard of the Inter Dominion.

“At this stage he’s going to Auckland and, if Tennyson Bromac works up the rankings, he will go as well.”

Tennyson Bromac brilliantly won five on end at Albion Park before being checked early and storming home in between horses late for an eye-catching fifth in the Preux Chevalier free-for-all, effectively the Victoria Cup Consolation, at Melton last Saturday night.