05 July 2021 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
Tasmanian open class pacer The Shallows proved too good for his rivals when scoring a 1.1-metre win in Sunday night’s Four and Five Year Old Classic in Launceston.
Sent out as the $2.60 favourite, trainer-driver Heath Woods settled the gelded son of Shadyshark Hanover one-out and three-back before a mid-race move at the bell saw the pacer slot into the one-out one-back position.
Woods asked his star pacer for the supreme effort around the home turn where he proved too good for Montana Lad, with the race favourite Yorkshire a further 6.9 metres away third in a mile rate of 1m 58.8s for the 2200-metre event.
“He went good enough, he still needed the run, and 50 metres from the line he had enough. We have probably been a little bit too easy on him at home this preparation,” said Woods post-race.
“Things worked out well for us early by the others doing a bit of work out of the mobile.
“We haven’t thought too far ahead to be honest. We will just see what is around and take it as it comes,” said the Broadmarsh based trainer.
The win of The Shallows was the final leg of a training and driving double for Woods, who scored in the Trainers Encouragement Pace with three-year-old filly Stepping Stones.
Form gate five, Woods was forced to do a bit of work early on the daughter of Stonebridge Regal, which was a concern for the trainer.
“I thought I had done too much work early actually, but she just kept finding late. She is pretty strong and is still learning,” said the winning trainer-driver.
Beauty Point trainer-driver Rohan Hillier had a good night, including winning the $12,000 Launceston Belmont with first starter Flo Jo Carvalho.
The Betting Line filly raced behind the leader before getting out in plenty of time to defeat the race favourite Lorimertyrrell by 1.6 metres.
“She went better than we expected. She hasn’t shown a lot at home,” said Hillier about the win.
The filly was the eighth horse to race and win out of the Ticket To Heaven mare Flo Jo Fernandez.
Hiller dominated the program, training Montana Storm to victory with stable foreman Conor Crook taking the reins on the three-year-old gelding.
Nova Baxter broke his maiden status in race three with Hillier taking the reins for Brighton trainer Paul Ashwood.
Hillier then trained and drove Boston Busker to victory in race five, with the four-year-old gelding recording his sixth career win and his first in two Tasmanian starts since joining the Hillier stable.
Crook also had his share of success training and driving Sports Candy and Iden Gorgeous to victory later in the night.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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