11 January 2019 | Duncan Dornauf
It has been another big week with harness racing at the TAB Racing Centre Mowbray in Launceston and Burnie last week.
The 7BU Burnie Cup was the feature race which was won by Perfect Mach for trainer Ben Yole and Driver Hannah Van Dongen.
The trio will be chasing more silverware when they contest Friday’s North Eastern Pacing Cupat Scottsdale before they contest Sunday evenings New Norfolk Pacing Cup at Hobart’s TAB Park Elwick.
The Stars
Perfect Mach – put up a massive performance to win the 7BU Burnie Cup on Sunday afternoon. The Ben Yole trained runner was driven by Hannah Van Dongen who got the late pick up drive less than 24-hours prior to the race. The gelded son of Mach Three was three wide for a large portion of the race and won eased down by ten metres.
Ben Yole – not only did he train the Burnie Cup winner he trained another three winners on the card that saw him claim his 50th winner of the season.
Le Premiere and Elect To Go – both brilliant winners of their respective heats of the Coastal Plate in Burnie with both horses coming off 30-metre handicaps.
Rohan Hadley – only trains a small team and he produced three to the races in Launceston for two winners and one second placing. His winners were Our Wonder Woman and Believe In Forever, the second placing was Secluded Beach who was first past the post before losing the race in the steward’s room after a protest.
Troy McDonald – Outdrove his concession claim with a double in Launceston on Friday.
Multiple Winners
Launceston – Friday afternoon
Rohan Hadley – training and driving double; Our Wonder Woman and Believe In Forever
Ben Yole – training double; Iam Aw Sam and Good Feelings.
Troy McDonald – driving double; Iam Aw Sam and Good Feelings.
Burnie – Sunday afternoon
Ben Yole – training quartet; Heidi Go Seek, Karalta Dazzler, Perfect Mach, Northview Dave.
Mark Yole – driving treble; Heidi Go Seek, Karalta Dazzler, Northview Dave.
Gareth Rattray – driving double; Le Premiere and Elect To Go.
Calculated Sectional Standouts
Quickest last halves (800m) from last week’s action.
Launceston – Friday afternoon
Offthetopofmyhead 55.92s, No Spring Secrets 56.84s, Holme On The Bayou 56.86s, Mister Lennox 57.09s and Sea Double Ugrant 57.12s.
Burnie – Sunday afternoon
Unavailable
View all available Tasmanian Sectional Data by clicking here.
Tasracing Official Price
Launceston – Friday afternoon
Hit’s: Our Wonder Woman $3.90 into $3.30, Believe In Forever $3.80 into $3.50 and All Over The Stars $2.10 into $1.65,.
Defied The Drift: Offthetopofmyhead $3.70 out to $5.00, Iam Aw Sam $4.60 out to $5.50 and Good Feelings $13 out to $26.
Missed: Juniper $6.00 into $4.20, Chilla Breeze $15 into $6.50 and Metro Star $8.50 into $6.00.
Burnie – Sunday afternoon
Hit’s: Heidi Go Seek $4.40 into $3.30, Like It Is $8.00 into $6.00 and Northview Dave $18 into $7.50.
Defied The Drift: Le Premiere $5.50 out to $9.00.
Missed: Mister Gently $3.70 into $2.80, The Escape Plan $15 into $8.00 and Invest $2.40 into $1.75.
Trial File
Scottsdale – Saturday Morning
Two trials were held in preparation for Friday’s race meeting.
The opening trial was won by Safari Oakey who defeated Mon Poppy Polly by one metre in a mile rate of 2m 16.7s mile rate for the 1955m trip.
A combined two and three-year-old trial where the Brent Parish trained Bouquet Of Roses scored a three-metre victory. There was no time taken on the trial.
Hobart – Monday evening
Six trials were held at TAB Park Elwick where the tough mare from Oatlands, Call Her Julie, recorded the quickest winning mile rate of 2m 2.6s for her victory in a standing start trial over 2090 metres.
The Matthew Cooper trained and driven pacer led from barrier six and was able to defeat Usain Jolt by one metre, recording her last mile in quarters of 30.4s, 29.6s, 29.8s and 30.8s.
Call Her Julie will contest Sunday night’s Matron Stakes.
The remaining trials were won by; Charlottescrown 2m 6.4s, Watchmylips 2m 8.4s, Enterprising Milly 2m 9.6s, Itswhatilikeaboutu 2m 4.3s and I Am Camelot 2m 4.4s.
Carrick Park – Monday evening
Six trials were also held at Carrick Park on Monday evening, where margins were unavailable for all trials.
The quickest winning mile rate was the Colin Simmons trained Triple Aitch Fella who scored in a C1 and better mobile trial over 2150 metres.
He defeated Monarkmac, Write About Me and Paint The Wind.
Other winners at the session were; Im Barney Rubble 2m 05.7s, Badrick 2m 08.3s, Kohanah 2m 17.5s, Tilly Max 2m 6.8s and Arthur Elliott 2m 8.3s.
Week Ahead
The $12,000 Bridport Hotel North Eastern Pacing Cup is the feature race at the Scottsdale Recreation Ground on Friday.
After being in second place for the past three years, Black Centurian will be hoping to go one step closer when he lines up in Scottsdale’s premier race.
The Steven Davis trained pacer won his second St Marys Cup on New Years Day and will share the 30-metre back mark in the Cup with last year’s winner Full Speed Ahead.
The local’s are represented in the race by the Wayne Campbell trained Buster William and Major Callum for Bridport trainer Brooke Hammond.
Buster William is undefeated on the Scottsdale circuit after winning at the annual race meeting for the past two years. Major Callum won the 2016 Cup and was placed in Sunday’s Burnie Cup behind Perfect Mach who is also engaged in the 2655-metre race.
The North Eastern Pacing Cup is race six on a seven-event card that gets underway at 16:37 with the Cup due to start at 19:38.
At TAB Park Elwick in Hobart on Sunday the Top Of The Town Bakery New Norfolk Pacing Cup is one of many highlights on an eight-race card.
The Cup has attracted a full field of 14 runners (plus one emergency) for the Tasmanian Trotting Clubs longest race for the season over the 3060-metre trip.
New Norfolk brother Ricky and Adrian Duggan quinelled the last New Norfolk Cup held in New Norfolk in 2016, and both have a drive in this year’s race.
Adrian is represented by last year’s winner, Poker Storm who he trains and drives in the $12,000 race. He started off a 20-metre handicap last year when scoring a last stride win at odds of $61. This year Poker Storm comes forward to the 10-metre line.
Ricky will drive Inner Light who is one of two runners for trainer Juanita McKenzie who also has The Aussie engaged in her home town Cup.
Another New Norfolk connection in the race is Tommy Jackson and Paul Hill who will team up with Finn Mac Kee.
The TAB Park Elwick meeting also sees the running of the E C Plunkett Memorial which is another time honoured feature from the New Norfolk circuit, with other feature races including the Matron Stakes for the mares and the states best open class pacers will contest the Toreace Flying Mile.
The action in Hobart commences at 17:34.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing