Rising star The Shallows upset Ignatius in the opening heat of the $30,000 Tassie Golden Apple at Mowbray on Sunday night but the backmarker lost no admirers with a game effort after beginning slowly from his 30m handicap.
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Trainer-driver Heath Woods was able to give The Shallows a perfect run one-out, one back before issuing his challenge three wide rounding the home turn.
Ignatius closed late to get within 1.2m with Kardesler 5.2m away third.
The mile rate for the 2200m was 1:58.9, which was 1.3 seconds outside Ryley Major's standing-start track record, and the last 800m was run in a slick 56.68 seconds.
Defending champion Ryley Major ran a similar time (1:58.54) to easily win the second heat after beginning quickly from his 30m mark.
His Rohan Hillier-trained stablemate Lip Reader dashed clear nearing the home turn but Ryley Major rounded him up with ease and went on to score by 5.5m from Perfect Mach with Lip Reader weakening to be a further 5m away third.
Final-round heat wins on Mach Charm and Star Rocker gave former New Zealand driver Sam Clotworthy a runaway win in the Youngbloods Challenge series.
The 24-year-old, who works for leading trainer Ben Yole, also won a heat in Hobart last week on $71 outsider Guys Bettor Bet and finished the six-race series with 72 points.
Samantha Gangell won Sunday night's other heat on Velocity Stride to finish with 52 points, equal second overall with Ben Woodsford.
