26 April 2019 | Duncan Dornauf
Gavin Lang once again proved why he was one of, if not the best, drivers in the country when he took out a feature race double in Launceston last week, including the Easter Cup with Franco Tristan.
That was one of many highlights on the Launceston card on Saturday night.
This week the action returns to Hobart with the Blue Bonnet and Sires Produce being the two feature events on a seven-race card before Launceston hosts on Sunday evening.
The Stars
Franco Tristan – the gelded son of Mcardle gave champion driver Gavin Lang his fifth win in the Dakin Refrigeration Easter Cup, and his first win in the race as a trainer. It was another copybook drive from Lang he was able to work forward in the early stages and keep in front of his main rivals. Saturday night’s win saw Franco Tristan break the $100,000 prize money.
Castle Retreat – was another winner that was trained and driven by Gavin Lang, and the Shadow Play gelding was certainly more than a travelling companion for Franco Tristan. Castle Retreat was crossed in the early stages before working into the clear at the 400-metre mark to take out the Elders Insurance Easter Plate.
Watchmylips – talented two-year-old who raced up to his big wraps when he broke through for his first career win at only his second race track appearance at the TAB Racing Centre. The gelding is another winner from the debut crop of Hes Watching.
El Jays Mystery – was a tough winner of the Kevin Gillies Memorial, the Dick Eaves-trained mare was forced to race outside the leader and she was able to prove too strong for her rivals in a bunched up finish.
War Dan Delight – the Dean Braun-trained three-year-old continued on his winning way when he made it back-to-back wins in the Chilli FM Stakes. James Rattray was in the sulky for the colt’s sixth career win.
All The Way Mae – broke through for a deserved win in the Aldebaran Park Launceston Trotting Cup. The Adrian Duggan trained trotter had recorded eight placings from her 15 starts prior to Saturday night’s win.
Multiple Winners
Hobart – Friday afternoon
Ricky Duggan – driving double; Wattabout Spangher and Cool Water Paddy.
Rodney Ashwood – driving double; Real Diamond and Remember Joe.
Ben Yole – training double; Ready To Fire and Got The Goods.
Juanita McKenzie – training double; Cool Water Paddy and Remember Joe.
Launceston – Saturday evening
Gavin Lang – training and driving double; Castle Retreat and Franco Tristan.
Gareth Rattray – driving double; Ima A Lister and El Jays Mystery.
Ricky Duggan – driving double; Watchmylips and All The Way Mae.
Calculated Sectional Standouts
Quickest last halves (800m) from last week’s action.
Hobart – Friday afternoon
Remember Joe 56.43s, Max Richter 57.07s, Hez The One 57.46s, Artiflash 57.49s and Fortino 57.52s.
Launceston – Saturday evening
Ryley Major 55.18s, Scooterwillrev 55.92s and Illegal Immigrant 55.96s. Outside of the Easter Cup; War Dan Delight 56.80s, Still Hungover and Beam Me Up Chopper 56.98s.
View all available Tasmanian Sectional Data by clicking here.
Tasracing Official Price
Hobart – Friday afternoon
Hits: Couta Rocks $5.00 into $4.80 and Got The Goods $6.50 into $3.50.
Defied The Drift: Wattabout Spangher $2.50 out to $2.90, Real Diamond $4.20 into $2.25, Ready To Fire $8.00 out to $12 and Remember Joe $3.40 out to $4.20.
Missed: My Girl Pearl $5.00 into $4.60, Heza Rummage $17 into $5.50 and Hez The One $8.00 into $6.50.
Launceston – Saturday evening
Hits: Awayandrideyourself $2.00 into $1.40, Castle Retreat $1.40 into $1.24, War Dan Delight $1.18 into $1.07, Franco Tristan $4.00 into $3.30, El Jays Mystery $15 into $11, Watchmylips $2.40 into $1.80 and Tarleton Riley $12 into $5.50.
Defied The Drift: Ima A Lister $5.50 out to $9.00 and Cardinal Ringo $8.50 into $11,
Missed: Believe In Forever $8.00 into $6.50, The Diamond King $6.50 into $4.60 and Levi Jimmy $7.50 into $4.20, Fortino $9.50 into $5.00,
Trial File
Carrick Park – Monday morning
The Marc Butler-trained Similan Beach recorded the quickest winning mile rate of the session when he recorded 2m 5.6s for 2150 metres.
The four-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere scored a 12-metre victory with Gareth Rattray in the sulky.
The last trial of the morning saw the return to the track of Sunny Sanz who has been sidelined from injury. The Kent Rattray-trained pacer was driven by John Walters to his 80-metre win where he recorded a mile rate of 2m 5.8s for his 2150 metre trial.
Other trials were won by Rockandahardplace (2m 14.2s) and Artyboy Glenwood (2m 10.5s).
Week Ahead
Hobart hosts harness on Friday night with a seven-race card which features the TAB Park Elwick Blue Bonnet and the Tastech Building Systems Sires Produce.
The Blue Bonnet is Race Six of the night with four of the eight runners being first starters.
A Spanish Dance from the Brian Stanley stable has opened up as the race favourite in early markets over Tilly Max, who is the only winner in the race. Better Amour, a recent Carrick trial winner on April 12 is on the third line of betting and is the shortest runner in the market of the un-raced group.
Punters have narrowed the Sires Produce down to a race in two between Tasmanian Derby runner up Resurgent Storm and Dusty Martini, who was a winner on debut three starts ago.
TAB has an $8,000 Quinella Jackpot on the UTAB for race one of the night, as well as a $1,000 Quaddie Jackpot which commences on race two.
Sunday night the action is in Launceston for a competitive eight-race programme.
The first two-year-old standing start race of the season will kick off the night at 17:15 where the Brian Mackrill trained Artyboy Glenwood must be respected on the back of three trial wins at Carrick, including a standing start trial where he was able to lead in slow time.
Interstate this week we see Ignatius line up tonight at Bankstown in the Group 2 Treuer Memorial. The Tassie Star has a second row draw to overcome in the 2540-metre event that is set down to start at 20:05.
Saturday night at Melton we see the Matthew Copper-trained Call Her Julie step out in race six for the M0 to M1 assessed pacers. Former Tasmanian Justin Campbell will take the drive.
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