12 June 2020 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
Tasmanian harness racing is back!
Sunday night the Tasmanian Trotting Club stage a 10-race card where the block nomination system has produced a competitive night of racing.
Last week there were a few wins of Tasmanian interest and three trial sessions held in the state.
The Stars
Blingittothemax – recorded back-to-back wins after scoring at Kilmore on Thursday. The gelded son of Art Major scored by 3.6 metres in a last half mile of 56.0s. The David Aiken- trained pacer is raced by north-west coast owner-breeder Mick Maxfield.
Timely Sovereign – the 2017 Raider Stakes winner has found a new lease on life in recent weeks, and the Tasbred seven-year-old gelding won his fourth race of the season at Menangle on Friday night in a career-best winning mile rate of 1m 52.5s.
Josh Duggan – continued his excellent form in the sulky with winners at Bendigo and Shepparton in the past week. Josh has now driven 31 winners for the season and 463 victories throughout his career, he is the son of Tasmanian’s winningest driver, Ricky Duggan.
Robert Walters – is another former Tasmanian that calls Victoria home and he was in the winner’s stall at Shepparton on Monday where he prepared former Tasmanian pacer Heza Braxton to victory in 1m 57.0s in a rating 30 to 47 event.
Trial File
Launceston – Saturday morning
Five-year-old gelding Got The Goods recorded the quickest winning mile rate of the session when he scored in a rating 48 to 50 trial.
The Ben Yole-trained pacer has a handy record over the sprint trip and was too good for his rivals late after settling second last of the five-horse field to score by a half-neck in 1m 59.1s for 1680 metres.
Other trials were won by; De Marco Beach (2m 3.5s), Shadow Macray (2m 1.8s), Bridwood Bella (1m 59.4s), Dapper Dana (2m 5.7s), Tarleton Riley (1m 59.3s), Heza Sport (2m 3.0s), Micton Aroha (2m 4.0s), Raymonds Judge (2m 1.9s), Kohanah (2m 0.8s), Feel The Burn (2m 1.1s) and Southern Gnp (2m 1.4s).
Devonport – Monday morning
It was a touch on the cold side in Devonport on Monday where seven trials were held.
For only the third time in two years, the two-minute mile rate was broken when Mister Gently outstayed his rivals in a rating 58 to 81 trial.
The Craig Hayes-trained and driven pacer raced outside the leader for the final 900 metres of the trial to score in 1m 59.9s.
The gelded son of Live Or Die has shown progressive talent in his seven start career and being a Tasbred four-year-old he will no doubt be one of the main contenders for the Maxfield Drilling Raider Stakes in November.
Remaining trials won by; Princess Luna (2m 9.4s), Gentleman Red (2m 5.3s), North Star Lad (2m 5.0s), Rocknroll Curly (2m 6.8s), Juniper (2m 5.6s) and Tisu Spirit (2m 7.3s).
Hobart – Monday twilight
Three-year-old gelding Watchmylips notched up the fastest winning mile rate of the Hobart session where 11 trials were held.
The Rodney Ashwood-trained pacer hasn’t raced since May 2019, but he did have two trials in March before two recent trial victories.
In Monday’s trial, driver Ricky Duggan took the pacer and allowed him to bowl along his final 1200 metres in quarters of 30.7s, 28.4s and 29.2s, with the mile rate for 2090 metres being 2m 0.7s.
Other winners included; Most Perfect Major (2m 6.1s), Stepping Stones (2m 2.9s), Mcadem (2m 3.2s), Navua Pixie (2m 5.7s), Cold Crusher (2m 2.4s), My Girl Pearl (2m 6.3s), Betterbsweet (2m 4.1s), Arakbell (2m 3.3s), Star Chamber (2m 2.0s) and Northview Dave (2m 3.3s).
Trial Replays
There were many eye-catching performances across the 30 trials staged last weekend, and you can view them all by clicking here.
Week Ahead
We are back in action in Hobart on Sunday night, and there are a few races to look forward too.
Race one sees several two-year-old’s who have performed well in recent weeks clash over the mile trip.
The second race is for the three-year-old’s where Watchmylips resumes from a spell and takes on seasoned performers Kohanah and Tasmanian Guineas winner Colby Sanz.
Lip Reader goes around in race four after a slick trial win in Launceston on 30 May where he was one second outside of the track record after leading all the way.
Rising star Cool Water Paddy takes on the open class pacers for the second time of his career in race five.
Several former interstate pacers with intriguing form go around in race six, that will be a handy form reference going forward.
Race seven could be an early Granny Smith prelude with Arakbell, a winner of six race from 31 starts in South Australia having her first start in the state, up against last season’s Bandbox winner Still Hungover.
Driver Ricky Duggan is only one win away from being the first Tasmanian driver to register 1,700 career wins.
At the other end of the scale, former New Zealander Sam Clotworthy will have his first race drive. The kiwi has taken up a position with the Ben Yole stable.
That’s just some of the highlights on a 10-race card.
Tassie harness is back …. bring it on!
Some Tasmanian pacers doing battle over the next few days include;
Menangle – Saturday
Race 2 Horse 2 Harjeet and Horse 5 No Apachemee.
Shepparton – Saturday
Race 5 Horse 5 Sutter Star.
Bendigo – Monday
Race 7 Horse 9 Moonlite Bay.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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