ON A night of thrills and spills, Victorian star Radley Bale was the only top-ranked runner to emerge unscathed from the heats of the group 2 Launceston Cup.

The Graeme Bate-trained dog, ranked no.2 in Australia, now looks assured of favouritism for next Monday night's $40,000-to-the-winner final.

The other three top seeds - Shereen Bale, Tonneli Bale and Rewind - all failed to qualify.

Radley Bale led all the way in his heat and, although his time of 29.91 wasn't the quickest, he is expected to benefit from his first race at Mowbray.

The fastest qualifier was the Graeme Moate-trained Shanlyn Hirdy, who opened the heats with a runaway nine-length win in 29.69.

Max A Zillion, trained in Victoria by Max Auld, ran the second-fastest time of 29.79 after originally being only an emergency for his heat.

Former harness trainer Brendan Pursell produced another blow for favourite-backers when his dog Lika Whisper ($4.80) knocked out Devonport Cup winner Rewind ($1.40 fav.).

Lika Whisper's time was only 30.13 but he ran the fastest first split of the heats.

The boilovers kept coming when Mick Stringer-trained New Recruit won at odds of $15 in a heat marred by a spectacular fall in the closing stages.

Heavily backed favourite Paua Of Darkness was trying to force his way through a narrow gap when it closed and he took a heavy tumble.

Punters were looking for some respite by this stage but it didn't come in the sixth heat when odds-on favourite Shereen Bale put in a lacklustre display.

Anthony Bullock's $9 chance Classic Camdale led most of the way.

To wrap up a night of upsets, Ted Medhurst-trained Sandbanker led all the way at $53 in heat seven and Strapper's Angel, from the Dale Hammersley kennel, repeated the performance at $38 in the final qualifier.

FINAL FIELD: Box draw for the final - 1 Strapper's Angel, 2 Sandbanker, 3 Radley Bale, 4 Lika Whisper, 5 New Recruit, 6 Shanlyn Hirdy, 7 Max A Zillion, 8 Classic Camdale, 9 Strong Intention (res), 10 Three Tradies (res).