Rising star Explicit has his first Group 1 in the bank after taking out the Sportsbet Temlee in convincing fashion on opening night of the Australian Cup Carnival at The Meadows on Saturday.

Lining up in start number 13, Explicit made it eight straight wins after exploding out of the boxes to clock a 5.00 first sectional, before defeating Alpha Zulu by three lengths in a sizzling 29.63 seconds, to provide the quinella for trainer Jason Thompson.

The Temlee wasn't the only invitational on the night, with superstar Queenslander Valpolicella (Tony Zammit) proving too classy for a fast-finishing Zoha Bale in the Group 1 Sportsbet Zoom Top (730m).

Trained by Tony Zammit, it was Valpolicella's second Group 1 in the space of nine days after she took out the Gold Cup at Albion Park at her previous start. Her career earnings climbed to just shy of $400,000.

Meanwhile, eight heats of the Australian Cup also took place on Saturday night, with Hector Fawley(29.542 seconds) taking time honours ahead of Cain Bale (29.593 seconds).

The first three placegetters in the heats progressed through to next Saturday's four Australian Cup semi-finals, along with the eight Temlee runners in the new-look Australian Cup Carnival.

Special mention also to 22-month-old young gun Canya All Class (Jess Hopkins), which won the opening race on the card – a Grade 5 final – in an exceptionally quick 29.561 seconds at just his seventh start.