04 January 2019 | Duncan Dornauf
The busy time of Tasmanian Harness Racing continued in the past seven days which saw us kick off the new year at St Marys on Tuesday for the 133rd running of the St Marys Cup. Black Centurian became only the fourth horse in the history of the race to win multiple St Marys Cups.
The King Island Racing Club also held their Cup Day card on New Year’s Day which was taken out by Mister Resister for trainer Graeme Keely and fly-in driver Adrian Collins.
Carrick Park hosted the last meeting of 2018 on December 30, where Todd Rattray claimed another country cup, this time with Goggo Gee Gee who is owned by Todd’s brother Adam.
This week the feature race is the $12,000 7BU Burnie Cup on Sunday afternoon while Launceston will hold a Tier One meeting on Friday, in the twilight zone. We see the return to the track of last season’s Tasmanian Horse of the year and New South Wales and Tasmanian three-year-old colt and gelding of the year, Ignatius in race four.
The Stars
Gareth Rattray – after a driving double at Carrick Park on Sunday afternoon Rattray was able to kick off 2019 with a driving treble. He produced the “Rattray Magic” to win the 2019 Southern Cross Austero St Marys Cup with Black Centurian
Rohan Hillier – ended 2018 with a driving treble at Carrick Park, two of which he trained. He guided Beachboy Butch from a last to first victory, then Hillier produced a well-timed drive on Adele Said. He certainly had luck on his side to win with Im Compliant after being shuffled back along the pegs.
Black Centurian – won his second St Marys Cup on Tuesday. The Steven Davis trained pacer took his prize-money earnings over the $150,000 barrier and will no doubt be hoping its third time lucky in the North-Eastern Pacing Cup at Scottsdale next week, after finishing second for the past two years.
Mister Resister – gave his trainer Graeme Keely his fourth King Island Pacing Cup when the gelded son of Mister Big came down the centre of the track after a well-timed run from driver Adrian Collins.
Todd Rattray – had a massive 2018 and rounded out his year with Goggo Gee Gee in the Meander Valley Cup. Rattray then went on to train his 200thwinner with Invest in the opening race of the day at St Marys.
All Style Sammy – handled the jump up to free-for-all class with an all the way win at Carrick Park.
Geoffrey Madden – rounded out the year with a rough result on Master Paige in the last race of the year for 2018 at Carrick Park.
Multiple Winners
Carrick Park – Sunday afternoon
Rohan Hillier – training and driving double; Beachboy Butch and Im Compliant. He made it a driving treble wining with Adele Said.
Gareth Rattray – driving double; War Dan Star and All Style Sammy.
St Marys – Tuesday afternoon
Gareth Rattray – driving treble; Mavis Merle, Black Centurian Give Me The Night.
Ben Yole – training double; Jakes A Joy and Give Me The Night
Calculated Sectional Standouts
Quickest last halves (800m) from last week’s action.
Carrick Park – Sunday afternoon
Adele Said 56.77s, Im Compliant 56.88s, Nickys Logic 57.04s, No Apachemee 57.03s and Destreos 57.21s.
St Marys – Tuesday afternoon
Unavailable
View all available Tasmanian Sectional Data by clicking here.
Tasracing Official Price
Carrick Park – Sunday afternoon
Hit’s: Beachboy Butch $2.70 into $2.25 and Goggo Gee $11 into $6.00.
Defied The Drift: Adele Said $3.80 out to $4.20.
Missed: Gems $15 into $6.00, Ima Ginger Rogers $18 into $11, Shadow Control $7.50 into $4.80, Medal Of Honour $26 into $8.50, Shadow Ross $10 into $7.50 and Only A Myth $61 into $26.
St Marys and King Island– Tuesday afternoon
No Off-Track betting was available at these meetings
Trial File
Burnie – Friday evening
The trials were abandoned due to a lack of nominations.
Hobart – Monday evening
These trials were cancelled in mid-December.
Week Ahead
Launceston on Friday sees the return to the track of Ignatius as he commences his preparation to next months $200,000 Chariots Of Fire at Menangle Park in Sydney.
Last seasons Tasmanian Horse of the year, Three-year-old Colt and Gelding of the year and New South Wales Three-year-old of the year, has had two trials in preparation for Fridays first up assignment.
He trialed under standing start conditions in Hobart on December 10 by a head margin in a mile rate of 2m 5.9s for 2090m, with the last half mile recorded in 57.7s (leader to winner).
Ignatius then headed to Carrick Park on December 22 where he defeated El Jays Mystery by one metre in a C1 and better mobile trial over the 2150m trip. The mile rate was 2m 6.1s, which was the quickest of the morning.
Ignatius goes around in race four in Launceston at 18:30.
TAB have a $6,564 Quinella on the UTAB pool on race four, with a $1,000 Quaddie Jackpot on the UTAB pool on races two through to five.
The first of nine races in Launceston commences at 16:38.
On Sunday afternoon the 7BU Burnie Pacing Cup will be staged at the Wivenhoe Showgrounds.
After two starts on the Burnie circuit for two placings, the Bradley Walters trained Mavis Merle will be chasing back-to-back wins. The daughter of Pacific Fella led all the way to score in a R3 or better race at St Marys on Tuesday over 1810m.
Another mare in the field, Laughyaheadoff will be hoping to bounce back into the winners list after her failure in the St Marys Cup. The Allister Wood’s trained and driven pacer won at Devonport two starts back at long odds and six of her 10-wins have been on the Burnie track where she has had 13-starts. She was defeated by a head margin in last years Cup behind Hez The One. She is the only runner from last years race engaged in the 2019 addition of the race.
Ben Yole has five runners engaged in the race including Iam Aw Sam who won at his only start on the track at the most recent meeting on November 30.
Punters are reminded that as the meeting is an afternoon meeting the UTAB Quaddie will be on races five through to race eight.
Tasracing’s Hosted Live Stream is back for the Burnie meeting which sees the first race set down for 12:57 with the 7BU Burnie Cup to be run at 15:23.
Interstate this week we see;
Melton – Friday evening
Race 1 Horse 2 Ciskei and Horse 10 Boltnmach.
Menangle – Saturday evening
Race 2 Horse 9 Pachacuti,
Race 3 Horse 8 Miss Graceland,
Race 4 Horse 9 Shezallapples.
Photo; Mister Resister and Adrian Collins winning the 2019 King Island Cup, Taken by Chelsea Neely.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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