01 August 2018 | Duncan Dornauf
It was another successful week of harness racing in the state including the rising star of Tasmanian harness racing Im Compliant keeping his unbeaten record in Australia intact with his second win this preparation, while 2014 Star Chamber found the winners stall for the second time this preparation with another win in Hobart on Friday.
There was also success further aboard with Tasmanian-bred pacers winning at Melton, Menangle and Albion Park on Saturday night and the trend looks set to continue this week when the Tassie Terminator 2.0, Ignatius steps out at Menangle.
Launceston is our venue for racing on Friday night with a 10-race card. The Launceston Pacing Club will also race on Wednesday night.
The Stars
Star Chamber – the Bianca Heenan-trained pacer broke the $200,000 barrier in prize-money when the 2014 Tasmanian Cup winner recorded his fourth win of the season when he took out the Free For All in Hobart on Friday night. The nine-year-old Our Sir Vancelot gelding has now recorded two wins from two starts this preparation.
Mark Yole – was clearly the dominant driver in the sulky over the weekend recording driving doubles at both Hobart and Devonport to take his season total to 36 wins.
John Castles – continued his excellent strike rate with his runners finishing in the top four placings on the Devonport circuit and a training double, including the quinella, in the first race with Keep Playing and Flashy Ruler. This season Castles has started 46 runners in Devonport with 25 of those running in the top four positions.
Im Compliant – Rohan Hillier-trained pacer just keeps winning since arriving in Australia.
Tasmanian-bred pacers across Bass Strait – Resurgent Spirit (Melton), Pachacuti (Menangle) and Miss Graceland (Albion Park) all winners at Metropolitan venues on Saturday night.
Multiple Winners
Hobart – Friday
Mark Yole – driving double; Abs Boy and Rowley.
Rohan Hillier – driving double; Im Compliant and Miracle Marcus.
Ricky Duggan – driving double; Inner Light and Western Glory.
Devonport – Sunday
Todd Rattray – training and driving double; Kvitova Leis and Joggle. Driving treble with the win of Keep Playing.
Mark Yole – driving double; Artarama and Heza Rummage.
Ben Yole – training treble; Artarama, Heza Rummage and Gems.
John Castles – training double; Keep Playing and Chirac.
Calculated Sectional Standouts
Quickest last halves (800m) from last week’s action in Hobart on Friday night.
Usain Jolt 56.55, Do It For Dave 57.04, No Apacheemee 57.12, Im Compliant 57.13 and Miss Atomic Betty 57.21.
From Devonport on Sunday.
Sheer Strength 57.32, Monarkmac 57.33, No Apacheemee 57.55, Kvitova Leis and Tarleton Riley both recorded 57.00.
View all Tasmanian Sectional Data here.
Tasracing Official Price
Hobart
Hit: Abs Boy $8.50 into $8.00.
Defied The Drift: Inner Light $2.90 out to $3.10 and Rowley $3.30 out to $4.00.
Missed: Chasing Cheetahs $4.60 into $4.00.
Devonport
Hit’s: Gems $7.00 into $5.50 and All Over The Stars $9.00 into $8.50.
Defied The Drift: Artarama $8.50 out to $16, Kvitova Leis $2.00 out to $2.90, Heza Rummage $3.50 out to $4.40 and Chirac $9.50 out to $11.
Missed: Berty Mach $10 into $8.50, Selling The Dream $7.50 into $4.60, Like It Is $10 into $8.50, Jeans Mattjesty $8.50 into $7.00 and Aunty Rita $8.00 into $5.00.
Trial File
Carrick Park on Saturday
Three trials were staged on Saturday morning where the Ben Yole-trained Washmepockets recorded the quickest winning mile rate of the morning of 2:06.5 for the 2150-metre journey.
Washmepockets is the winner of four races this season and scored in the trial by 2m over the stablemate Countdown.
Other winners of the morning included; Redason (2:07.8), Bobbi Direct (2:09.2) and Miss Condeleeza (2:07.6).
Week Ahead
Harness racing returns to Launceston on Friday evening for a 10-race program.
The Craig Hayes-trained Scooterwillrev will be looking for his fourth win in a row when he lines up in the Happy 60th Birthday Robert Rattray Stakes.
Scooterwillrev broke the track record for the 2200-metre journey in Launceston at his most recent start on July 22 when he recorded a mile rate of 1:56.6.
On Friday, driver Rohan Hadley has 2698 metres to make up his 20-metre handicap and is the only runner to be handicapped in the six-horse field.
The first two races in Launceston are the Tasmanian heats of the Australasian Breeders Crown for two-year-olds with the Fillies division being race one at 16:36.
Participants and punters are also reminded that the trials set down for Hobart on Tuesday evening will now be held on Sunday morning commencing at 10:00 am.
Interstate this weekend we see our local star, Ignatius step up to M0 company at Menangle as the James Rattray-trained and driven pacer continues his preparation for the upcoming Breeders Crown series.
Horses with Tasmanian interest contesting races at metropolitan venues interstate this week included:
Gloucester Park – Friday night
- Race 6 – Horse 9. Devendra
Menangle – Saturday night
- Race 3 – Horse 5. Shezallapples
- Race 5 – Horse 7. Ignatius
Melton – Saturday night
- Race 4 – Horse 7. Miley Rose
- Race 7 – Horse 8. Solid As A Rock
Albion Park – Saturday night
- Race 2 – Horse 3. Jerrys Jet
- Race 7 – Horse 3. Fioki
Some of the Tasmanian ex-pats have been driving exceptionally well of recent weeks interstate including Alex Ashwood who has picked up the drive on the Andy Gath trained Reils in the Victorian Trotters Derby at Maryborough in central Victoria on Sunday. Reils is a gelded son of Skyvalley and is the winner of eight races from 19 starts.
Another Tasmanian who is doing well interstate is Jack Laugher who sits in 10th position on the Victorian Concession Drivers premiership where he has recorded 18 wins in that state this season. Meanwhile, Josh Duggan continued his good form with a driving double at Melton on Monday afternoon.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
