12 November 2020 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
It was a big night of harness racing in Launceston on Sunday night where Longford based trainer-driver Todd Rattray had a night out claiming three of the four feature races.
Blame It On Me proved her dominance with a tough win in the Group 2 Bandbox series.
One of the biggest news stories of the year was that harness and greyhound racing will cease at the Devonport Showgrounds by March 2022, with the state government to contribute $8 million to a new facility on the north-west coast, with many participants and harness racing fans having a view on the size and location of the new track.
Speaking of the north-west coast the second last Raider Stakes and Granny Smith race meeting at the Showgrounds will take place on Sunday night, a part of a nine-race card.
The Stars
Todd Rattray – had a night out on Sunday in Launceston taking home a host of feature races including the Group 2 Globe Derby with Kohanah, the Danbury Park Cup with Ignatius and the Mother Of Pearl with Feel The Burn.
Blame It On Me – continued her unbeaten run since resuming from injury in the Group 2 Bandbox. The Big Jim filly was confidently driven by Natalee Emery, but a big credit must go to her trainer Doug Nettlefold to get the filly back to the track.
Pardoe Plugga – pulled off a betting plunge when the Leigh Rand-trained pacer led all the way to win the second heat of the Raider Stakes, after being well rated in front by reinsman Ben Parker.
Rodney Ashwood – rated Resurgent Storm well in the lead to take out the first heat of the Raider Stakes before preparing Still Hungover to a brilliant victory in the heat of the Granny Smith.
Ben Richardson – prepared Boltnmach to victory in Hobart on Friday. The gelding had been out of the winner’s stall since July 2018 and was only having his fourth start in Richardson’s care.
Mentions to the in-form Racketeers Boy who is on a path to the Tassie Golden Apple, Believe In Forever who remains undefeated in four starts for trainer Geoff Smith and Clayton Miller for his training performance with Arctic.
Multiple Winners
Hobart – Friday evening
Mark Yole – driving double; North Star Lad and Nikks Pick.
Launceston – Sunday evening
Todd Rattray – training and driving treble; Feel the Burn, Ignatius and Kohanah, he made it a driving quartet with Arctic.
Rodney Ashwood; drove Resurgent Storm and trained Still Hungover.
Calculated Sectional Standouts
Quickest last halves (800m) from last week’s action.
Hobart – Friday evening
Emjays Black Chips 57.75s, Christian Jaz 58.08s, Wattabout Spangher 58.13s, Mozasu 58.15s, Shestryingtactics and Aunty Bessy both 58.17s.
Launceston – Sunday evening
Somedan 55.61s, Believe In Forever 55.74s, Racketeers Boy 56.35s, Tally Operator 56.45s and Still Hungover 56.53s.
View all available Tasmanian Sectional Data by clicking here.
Tasracing Official Price
Hobart – Friday evening
Hit: Navua Pixie $21 into $18.
Defied the Drift: The Cobblers Piece $9.50 out to $13, Victoria Pass $5.00 out to $6.00 and Iylac Beach $2.60 out to $4.80.
Missed: Border Cross $11 into $9.50, Jackson Neptune $6.00 into $4.20, Denstown $10 into $8.50, Demand Respect $2.30 into $1.60, Oneofthelads $16 into $9.00 and Williamlee $6.50 into $5.00.
Launceston – Sunday evening
Hit’s: Still Hungover $4.20 into $2.90, Blame It On Me $1.40 into $1.18, Ignatius $3.20 into $2.70, Kohanah $6.50 into $4.20 and Racketeers Boy $1.60 into $1.45.
Pardoe Plugga was $3.00 into $2.90 but was $8.00 with some wagering service providers before the Tasracing Official Price commencing at 9:00 am on race day and was backed into $1.28 before drifting late.
Defied the Drift: Resurgent Storm $1.85 out to $2.00, Feel The Burn $3.90 out to $5.00,
Missed: Donny In Paris $2.90 into $2.60, Danger Of Tyne $61 into $21, Im Quite American $5.50 into $4.60m Devil Of Tyne $6.50 into $4.80, Giftofjoy $3.60 into $3.10, El Jays Mystery $26 into $17, Got The Goods $5.50 into $4.60, Jakes A Joy $10 into $6.00, Murry $6.50 into $4.40,
Trial File
Devonport – Monday evening
Island Rocknroll flew around the track to win her trial by 35 metres and was eased down in the home straight.
Driver Troy McDonald took the Ben Yole-trained mare straight to the lead and was never challenged in a mile rate of 2m 0.9s for 1930 metres.
The mile rate was the second quickest recorded across the last two race meetings on the track.
The other winners included Stormont Star (2m 3.1s), Tommy Hillfigure (2m 12.7s), Jimmy Smalls (2m 7.0s), Lily Rocks (2m 5.5s) and Lip Reader (2m 5.6s).
You can view the weekend’s replays by clicking here.
FORMPLUS Black Booker
Nine Diamonds
The Ben Yole-trained three-year-old filly took on the best mares in the state at present in the Mother Of Pearl in Launceston on Sunday night where she finished in fifth placing when sent out as a $26 chance.
The filly settled four back on the pegs and got cluttered in traffic where she was carted back to third last at the top of the straight before weaving her way through the field late and making up a lot of ground in the straight. She is rated 63 but is still eligible for a three-year-old rating concession for a number of races until the end of the year.
Week Ahead
Devonport host a big night of racing on Sunday night with two Group 2 features on the card.
Bookies opened up the Rodney Ashwood-trained Still Hungover as the $1.95 favourite in the first of the Group 2 races, the Collins Homes Granny Smith, on the strength of her heat win on Sunday in Launceston.
Stablemate Spoilt Sport has drawn the pole and sits on the second line of betting at $5.00 from Joogle at $6.50.
The barrier draw has made for an intriguing Maxfield Drilling Raider Stakes Final.
Donny In Paris has drawn the pole and has been installed as the $2.60 favourite ahead of Mister Gently at $3.10.
Heats winners sit on the third and fourth line of betting with Resurgent Storm at $5.00 and Pardoe Plugga at $7.00.
The meeting will feature a hosted live stream on TasracingTV, and all races will be shown on Sky Racing 1 at 18:07.
Friday night the Tasmanian Trotting Club host a Sky Racing 2 meeting with eight races on the card from 17:47.
Tasmanian pacers doing battle interstate over the next few days at metropolitan venues include:
Menangle – Saturday Night
Race 1 Horse 4 No Apachemee.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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