25 February 2019 | Shane Yates
Former Victorian trotter Majestic Ess Jay made an outstanding debut in Tasmania to claim the first heat of the Aldebaran Park Tasmanian Trotting Cup in Hobart on Friday night.
The Eric Jacobson-trained eight-year-old gelding (pictured) galloped away and lost an enormous amount of ground at the start and looked to have lost all hope but the veteran of 94 starts had other ideas.
“We’ve only had him over for a fortnight and when I worked him during the week I thought we may have pulled the right rein in leasing him as he felt strong in his action, but when he missed the start so badly and stood up Trumps Golden Boy a good 80-metres I thought our tickets were confetti,” said Eric.
“Admittedly they went slow up front and he tacked on without expending too much energy and when Ray (Pullen) chose to go round them and find the top with a lap to run my spirits rose a little.”
Trumps Golden Boy, in search of its fifth straight win for Bianca Heenan, pulled out to issue his challenge inside the 400-metre mark and the race was well and truly on.
“Considering the work Majestic Ess Jay ($3.40) was forced to do early I thought we may be in trouble but Ray held him together into the home straight and he went powerfully to the post,” said a delighted trainer.
“When you take a close look at his recent Victorian form Majestic Ess Jay should have something to offer here in Tasmania, in his last run on the mainland he lost 60-metres in the race where there was a track-record set and the owners said they clocked him running a mile-rate of 1:57.5 to get up and run sixth, 18-metres off the winner.”
Harjeet ($1.00) waltzed home in the Metropolitan Cup scoring by 13-metres for Todd Rattray who capped off his night with success in the last race with Arthur Elliot winning at its second career outing.
Ben Yole landed a race-to-race double with Troy McDonald steering home Hez The One ($15) to its second win for the month while Australian Female Drivers Championship state representative Samantha Gangell lifted the bolter Northview Dave ($21) over the line in the Yak Ales Pace.
Favourite punters landed some blows of their own with the Bianca Heenan-trained Swap Me ($2.50) continuing its great form, Couta Rocks ($1.80) bounced back into the winner’s list for Marc Butler while last season’s Sweepstakes and Dandy Patch winner Resurgent Storm ($1.40) recorded a stylish first-up win as a three-year-old for Roger Whitmore.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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