27 March 2020 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
Blackjackhanover may have only been placed in two of his last 28 starts, but the gelded son of Cardmaster Hanover finally gets his chance to bounce back into the winner’s list when he lines up in the Tas Equine Veterinary Services Pace at Ladbrokes Park in Hobart tonight.
The Campbell Watt trained pacer has won 10 of his 126 starts and has been placed on a further 35 occasions.
Tonight, the pacer will contest a race for horses that are rated between 50 to 59 for trainers who trained ten or less winners last season.
It is a big drop in class from contesting the states premier race, the Group 2 Ladbrokes Tasmania Cup, at his most recent start where he finished 16 metres behind Ryley Major where the trainer was pleased with the run.
“I was thrilled with him in that race, Smiley (Paul Hill) said he had plenty of horse left going over the line,” said trainer Campbell Watt.
One concern in tonight’s race for the trainer is the outside of the front-row draw in the 2090-metre event.
“If he drew in a bit closer he would have been a good thing I would have thought, I still think he can win from out there, it’s no point going back, he is a go-forward horse, and he can get on the bit at times,” said the Mt. Seymour based trainer who has once again given the driving responsibilities to Malcom Jones who uses his five-point concession claim tonight.
“He will do all my driving now, I would have let him drive him in the Tasmania Cup but the powers to be wouldn’t let him, he is a well-mannered kid and drives good,” said the trainer.
Watt at 70 years of age has three horses in work with his wife Pam who is an integral part of his stable, he and Pam have recently stopped breeding horses as in Campbell’s words “age is catching up to us.”
Blackjackhanover is rated a $4.50 chance with Ladbrokes behind the Taylor Ford-trained duo Ashleys Angel and The Thug at $4.40.
Ford spoke about their chances on the From The Stables Podcast.
Tonight’s meeting will be televised on Sky Racing 1 and TasracingTV’s live Stream with the first race set down for 18:40.
Once again, the meeting will be closed to the public with only harness racing licence holders and essential race day personal allowed entry to the track.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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