12 October 2020 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
Last seasons Tasmanian two-year-old filly Blame It On Me made a winning return to the race track from a broken pastern bone in Hobart on Sunday night.
From barrier four, driver Natalee Emery rolled forward to race outside the leader and proved too good for Better Amour by 2.3 metres with Iden Gorgeous finishing a further 18.6 metres away third in a mile rate of 2m 0.5s.
“This was a starting for the Bandbox, and there were a lot of nice horses in the race, we went out with a plan to go forward early, and then there wasn’t one after that,” said winning driver Natalee Emery after the race.
“We expected her to go well, but she exceeded expectations as we didn’t expect her to sit in the death and win like she did,” explained Emery.
“Better Amour came to her up the straight and worried me there for a stride, but once she got to her girth, she wasn’t going to let her run past, she was just doing what she had to do to the line,” added the driver.
The filly hadn’t been seen since contesting a race in Launceston in early January which is a credit to her trainer Doug Nettlefold to get the filly back without a trial from the forced break.
“I’m really relieved, more so for Doug and Ange (Nettlefold), they have had a torrid time the last 12 months, and for that filly to come back from a broken pastern and not having a trial it is all credit to Doug for doing a super job,” said Emery.
“She was always a nice two-year-old, but I always said to Doug she would make a better three-year-old and she has matured a lot and developed, and going forward she will benefit from that run in leaps and bounds,” added the winning driver which is a huge warning to her rivals ahead of next months Group 2 Bandbox in Launceston.
Two heats of the Evicus were staged on the program with Stepping Stones leading all the way to score by 11.9 metres in 1m 59.6s in heat one while $1.07 favourite Melnrowley handled her rivals with ease in the second heat by 10.2 metres in 2m 0.6s.
The prelude of the Dandy Patch was taken out by Lancelot who raced up to his terrific second placing in the Sweepstakes final when he recorded a 13-metre win over the $1.30 favourite Rocknovertime in 2m 4.2s for the 2090 metre trip.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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