27 June 2019 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
The four-year-old Tasmanian Sires’ Stakes series rolled on into Devonport last Sunday with Izaha and Ideal Bliss being too strong for their rivals in their respective finals.
Both horses broke $100,000 in prize money with their wins.
Hobart staged the $20,000 Sweepstakes finals on Friday where the favourites were successful in each final.
This week harness racing heads to Launceston on Friday evening and Hobart on Sunday night, the last two meetings under the current handicapping system before the new National Rating system commences across Australia on Monday.
The Stars
Ideal Bliss – the Paul Hill-trained mare Ideal Bliss made amends for her disappointing performance as a beaten favourite in the Granny Smith prelude on June 14 when the daughter of American Ideal captured the four-year-old mare’s leg of the Tasmanian Sires’ Stakes series the Group 2 Collins Homes Granny Smith final on Sunday night at the Devonport Showgrounds.
Izaha – made it back-to-back Tasmanian Sires’ Stakes victories the son of Roll With Joe took out the $50,000 Maxfield Drilling Raider Stakes, the first ever Group 2 race held on the Devonport Showgrounds. Trainer-driver Todd Rattray took the $1.10 favourite straight to the early lead from barrier three in the 2665-metre event and from that point Izaha was never in doubt to win in a mile rate of 2m 1.3s.
Blame It On Me – continued on her winning way in Hobart on Friday night when the daughter of Big Jim added the $20,000 Elderslie Horse Care Sweepstakes (Fillies division) to her resume. Driver Natalee Emery took the Doug Nettlefold-trained pacer to the lead over the mile trip, and the $1.75 favourite proved too good.
Kohanah – the Sweet Lou colt followed in the steps of his mother Benediction when he claimed the colts and geldings division of the Sweepstakes Final. The Todd Rattray-trained and driven pacer led all the way in the $20,000 event to record his fourth win at his fifth race start.
Honourable mentions; Call Me Hector – just outside the Hobart track record with another brilliant win, Olivia Weidenbach – drove her first double in Devonport and Ben Yole – training treble on Sunday evening including the first seven placings past the post in race five.
Multiple Winners
Hobart – Friday evening
No trainer or driver recorded multiple wins
Devonport – Sunday evening
Ricky Duggan – driving treble; Similan Beach, Ideal Bliss and Wattabout Spanger.
Olivia Weidenbach – driving double; Monarkmac and Im Full Tilt.
Ben Yole – training treble: Monarkmac, Jeans Mattjesty and Im Full Tilt.
Calculated Sectional Standouts
Quickest last halves (800m) from last week’s action.
Hobart – Friday evening
Chasing Cheetahs 57.60s, Here The Call 57.65s, Abs Boy 57.66s, Origin Billy 57.71s and Miracle Marcus 58.08s.
Devonport – Sunday evening
Similan Beach 58.10s, Monarkmac 58.41s, Izaha 58.70s, Heza Rummage 58.72s and Peaceful Thomas 58.91s.
View all available Tasmanian Sectional Data by clicking here.
Tasracing Official Price
Hobart – Friday evening
Hits: Macray Muchacho $5.00 into $3.80 and Chasing Cheetahs $2.40 into $1.70.
Defied The Drift: Blame It On Me $1.60 out to $1.75 and Touchwood Levista $3.30 out to $4.20.
Missed: Diamond Grace $11 into $8.00, Freds Under Fire $21 into $16 and Shadow Affair $21 into $10.
Devonport – Sunday evening
Hits: Similan Beach $1.65 into $1.20, Im Full Tilt $21 into $12 and Rowley $13 into $9.50.
Defied The Drift: Jeans Mattjesty $12 out to $15, Karalta Moondance $5.50 out to $6.50 and Wattabout Spanger $8.50 out to $19.
Missed: El Jays Mystery $4.80 into $4.00, Spot Eight $.90 into $1.55, Jigamaroo $9.00 into $4.80 and Good Feelings $17 into $10.
Trial File
Carrick Park – Saturday morning
Four trials were staged on a very cold morning where the Mon Poppy Polly recorded the quickest winning mile rate of 2m 3.7s.
The five-year-old Sportswriter mare joined the Ben Yole stable after her performance at the trials the week prior and on Saturday she proved too good for All Style Sammy by two metres with Long Ago a further two-metre away third.
Kosimo, a two-year-old gelded son of Major Bronski, won his second consecutive trial in a mile rate of 2m 8.6s, it was an action-packed trial where a lot of horses were checked on the home corner which saw the Mark Jones-trained and driven pacer cruise home to a 40-metre win.
Other winners included: Machitelli (2m 5.1s) and Stuey D (2m 5.8s)
Hobart – Monday evening
The Bradley Walters-trained Animi Sub Ignis recorded the quickest time of the three trials in 2m 1.8s.
The eight-year-old has had one start in a year and a half, that being in Hobart on 7 June.
Driven by Ben Woodsford in the trial, Animi Sub Ignis defeated Vouvray Beach by three metres with Witch Master a further five metres away third.
The final two quarters were recorded in 20.0s and 29.9s.
The other two trials were won by Fin Mac Kee (2m 3.5s) and Rocket Blaster (2m 11.4s).
Week Ahead
Harness Racing heads to Launceston on Friday evening for a 7-race card.
There is a thoroughbred theme to race five on the card, the Find Us On Facebook Pace.
Successful thoroughbred trainer Steve Lockhart is the latest participant to hold a dual code license and is represented in the race by Rocket Blaster, a Hobart trial winner on Monday evening in slow time.
The Caribbean Blaster gelding was previously trained by Melissa Maine where he was placed on one occasion from nine starts.
Lockhart has trained five winners in his last 15 starters as a thoroughbred trainer including the Tasmanian Oaks this year with Shady Hustle.
The other thoroughbred connection in the race is with the ownership of the Zane Medhurst-trained Ifbutzandmaybes, who is part-owned by leading jockeys Siggy Car and Troy Baker who sit second and third on the state’s riders premiership respectively.
Since the new ownership group have given the gelded son of Lombo Pocket Watch seven starts which have resulted in five placings.
The fifth race in Launceston is scheduled to start at 19:22 with the first race set down for 17:12.
Race one will be televised on Sky Racing 1 with the remainder of the card on Sky Racing 2.
Hobart is the venue for the main meeting of the week on Sunday evening with seven races set down for decision.
The fast class race is race six, the Hobart Signwriters Pace, where all eyes will be on the clock after fast times have been recorded at the southern venue the past two meetings.
Call Me Hector was just 0.3 of a second outside of the track record on the track last Friday when he led over the 2090-metre trip. Trainer-driver Matthew Cooper allowed the gelded son of Art Major to bowl along in front with the last three quarters all being run under 30 seconds.
On Sunday Call Me Hector has another front line draw in barrier three against similar opposition.
The race is set down for 20:54.
All races in Hobart will be shown on Sky Racing 1 and both the Launceston and Hobart card can be seen on Tasracing’s Live Stream.
Interstate this week at metropolitan venues;
Melton Saturday night
Race 4 Horse 2 Nostra Beach – Tasbred.
Menangle Sunday afternoon
Race 7 (Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO C&G) Horse 9 Max Delight – Tasmanian owned,
Race 9 (Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge 4YO E&G) Horse 12 Ignatius – Tasbred and Tasmanian owned,
And Horse 8 War Dan – part one by Tasmanian interest.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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