13 November 2020 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
It has been six weeks since the last trotters race in Tasmania, but there are another three trotters that have made their way across Bass Strait for Friday night’s event, which is the last of eight-races in Hobart.
Two of the trotters have found their way into the Rodney Ashwood stable including Mascott, who is no stranger to Tasmanian punters, with the Majestic son gelding having three starts in the state last year.
But the trotter produced poor manners and broke in all three starts and was sent back to Victoria where he had a further six starts including a win at Bendigo in early May. Friday is his first start back since 11 May.
The other addition to the Rodney Ashwood Stable is Truscott Hall, the winner of 14 races, the most recent win was off a 30-metre handicap in a rating 30 or better event at a Saturday night meeting at Globe Derby in mid-September.
Lucky Pats Son is the other new trotting arrival in the state and joins the Taylor Ford stable.
The winner of five races has been out of the winner’s circle since November last year but did contest a metropolitan event five starts ago.
Those three make up three of the seven runners contesting Friday night’s field with three clear at the top of early betting.
Bagdad trainer Deborah Williams puts the polish on last start winner Cold Crusher (pictured) who has won five races in the state, four of those being under mobile start conditions.
The Fling It gelding is the track record holder for the 2090-metre trip in Hobart, recording 2m 0.7s in December last year.
Williams also prepares Sunoflindenny who hasn’t been seen since 23 August and is yet to win in seven attempts in Hobart but has been placed on five occasions.
Trainer Marc Butler is represented in the race by Armchair Drive and One Yankee Ginga.
Armchair Drive has never missed a top-two finish in six Hobart Starts, while One Yankee Ginga has won five of his 11 starts in the Apple Isle but has never been placed in seven mobile starts in his 55-start career.
The additional trotters in the state are a vote of confidence for trots racing going forward.
Tasracing will program two trotting races each month under Tasracing’s new program guidelines, with 25% of those being mobile start races worth a minimum $6,800 in prizemoney per race.
Friday night’s Sky Racing 2 meeting will be live streamed on TasracingTV from 17:47.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
