Champion pacer King Of Swing really had to show his staying quality tonight with a narrow but typically tough harness racing victory in tonight’s Allied Express Sprint at Menangle.

One of the first surprises in the Group One feature came when Balraj and Boncel Benjamin were both set alight up off the mobile gate crossing King Of Swing and setting up a first half of the race in a scintillating 52.6 while King Of Swing was forced to sit parked.

Wow! The King wins a gut buster in quick time 1 — **King Of Swing wins the Allied Express Sprint at Menangle tonight.**

With the pace still on the champ soon had the measure of Boncel Benjamin after straightening, but then had to withstand a withering late burst from Bundoran down the outside. With McCarthy urging him on, King Of Swing dug deep and held on by half a head at the line. Jay Ok finished on well for third.

King Of Swing (Rocknroll Hanover) ran a blistering overall time in the Group One feature running 1:47.9 for in-form driver Luke McCarthy, continuing the good night for the McCarthy team.

“I thought before tonight he’s as good as he’s ever been,” said McCarthy.

“To sit outside them and still win!

“Boncel went disgraceful last week at Newcastle and I thought they would be happy to sit behind me and maybe run second but Josh (Gallagher) had his whip out so we had to do it tough.

“He swelled himself and lifted again, he’s just a champion.

“A race like this actually brings him on, he’s such an athlete.”

Next Saturday night at Menangle King Of Swing will chase an astonishing third Miracle Mile title on the track.