08 July 2019 | Shane Yates for Tasracing
Semowillrev made a triumphant return from a tendon injury in Launceston on Sunday night, scoring a narrow but courageous victory in a titanic four-way way battle to the post in the Tas Racing Centre Pace.
The Craig Hayes four-year-old was having his first run back from a 13-month layoff and was able to lead comfortably, but the question was being well and truly asked on the home turn as the challenges came thick and fast.
“The worst thing that could have happened was the false start, that fired him right up, he pulled in the run and got hard on the bit two or three times so I knew we were going to be vulnerable late,” said Hayes.
“They were lining up on the home turn for a crack at him and I thought he was gone but he just kept on finding down the home straight and right on the line I felt he was holding them, it was a tough win.”
The victory took the Sportswriter – Sur La Plage four-year-old’s record to eight wins from 13 career starts and according to his trainer has pulled up well from his first-up assignment.
“He’s come through the run well, he’s pulled up sound and eaten up overnight and is having a good run in the paddock this morning,” said Craig.
“We will just take him one step at a time and race him through his grades, I’m confident he will develop into a very good horse.”
The remainder of the night was staged under a thick cover of fog making it almost impossible to know what took place in the run, hats off to the drivers, stewards and judges for their expertise in enabling the meeting to proceed throughout the evening in cold and trying conditions.
Ben Yole landed a training double with Jeans Mattjesty and Shestryingtactics while Ricky Duggan piloted Inner Light and Rock The Casbolt through the fog to greet the judge.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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