The Raglan-based trainer was at Dawson Park on Tuesday afternoon as the last qualifiers were run ahead of the region's richest ever meeting on Friday night.

That meeting is headlined by the $40,000-to-the-winner Brother Fox Dubbo Cup Final, but on Tuesday Murphy had Moon Shaker book a spot in the Zipping Garth Maiden Final.

After a number of promising trials Moon Shaker made his race debut in style at Dawson Park, getting away well from box four before winning by two-and-three-quarter lengths.

"He's been trialling really well. We'd targeted this race with the final on Friday night worth $10,000," Murphy said.

"He'd been here to trial so this was something we were targeting with him.

"He's definitely been showing something at Bathurst and we trialed him here and he showed a good time for a maiden so we went ahead with the plans."

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Moon Shaker had been steady around the $4 mark in the lead-up to the race while much of the punters' attention was on Vortex Fusion and Tarnie.

The Wesley McDonald-trained Vortex Fusion was as short as $1.80 at one point before the race jumped while Josh Lawson's Tarnie had firmed right into a $2.20 favourite when they left the boxes.

It was Moon Shaker ($6.40) who got away fastest though while the Merle Clarke-trained Dark Waters ($13.80) also began well.

Moon Shaker was able to get out from box four and across to the rails and while Vortex Fusion pressed forward at the top of the back straight, he ran wide as they rounded the bend and the leader was able to create a little space between himself and the rest of the field.

That proved decisive as Moon Shaker powered on to victory while Vortex Fusion got second ahead of Dark Waters.

"He's desperate for the rails. To see the best of him he needs box one," Murphy said.

"He won't move off the rail and that's to his benefit sometimes because other dogs run wide and he holds his line."

While the final is the immediate focus for Murphy, he's well aware he's got himself a dog with a bit of potential.

Once Friday's final is won and run Moon Shaker is set to step up to further distances.

In the $10,000-to-the-winner final, Moon Shaker will be joined by Tuesday's other heat winners Mad Mick, Riley's Fusion, Absolute Stella, and Stinger Casey.

Mad Mick won the second qualifier for Matthew Evans while Riley Fusion's victory was welcomed by trainer Wesley McDonald after Vortex Fusion had missed out in the opener.

Riley Fusion was the fastest of the winners, getting home in 18.31 seconds, while Peter Casey's Stinger Casey was in 18.43 seconds, the Steve Jones-trained Absolute Stella was victorious in 18.47 seconds, Mad Mick won in 18.51 seconds and Moon Shaker saluted in 18.68 seconds.

The Brother Fox Final (516m) is the main event on Friday but the Zipping Garth Maiden (318m) and Feral Franky 4/5th Grade Final (400m) both offer $10,000 to the winner while the same goes for the Bill and Peg Miller Memorial (516m).

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