Tasracing

The Ladbrokes Hobart Thousand is almost here and several hopefuls step out in Hobart on Thursday night ahead of next week’s heats.

Race seven is the Barry Heawood Hobart Thousand Prelude where Brighton trainer Blake Bursell prepares half the runners engaged, headlined by Sprint Gordon.

The Spring Gun – Champagne Girl dog had won four in a row prior to finishing sixth in the Devonport Chase final at his most recent start.

“He got checked as soon as the lids went up and the moment he left the green mat his race was over, his runs before that and the run in the Devonport Chase heat were brilliant, so you can’t ask for much more,” said his trainer Blake Pursell.

Sprint Gordan opened the $2.60 favourite for Thursday’s event where he has drawn box six.

“It is a tough draw as the eight wants the fence at the start, so he will need a bit of luck to get a bit of room,” explained the trainer.

Another of Pursell’s leading contenders is Twisted Reality who has drawn box five.

The winner of 12 races hasn’t been seen since running fourth behind Wynburn Sheean in a heat of the Devonport Chase on 17 November, and has impressed his trainer since then in a recent Hobart trial.

“He is feeling good, and he had a really good trial on Saturday, he is going into the race 110%,” Pursell said.

Goodnight Vicki has drawn box one and was a winner over the 600 metres in Launceston four starts ago and has had her last two efforts in Devonport.

“She ran off the 580 (metres) and then ran a good race over the 452 last week, she has a tough assignment tonight but it is good that she has her box,” said the trainer with Thursday’s performance to decide if he presses on to the Hobart Thousand.

Pages Creek in box three won in Launceston on Monday night and rounds out Pursell’s quartet of runners in the race.

“It is a bit of a tough draw as Gypsies Luck (box two) likes to get to the centre of the track, so his chances will be dependent on how he begins,” explained the trainer.

Former Victorian Jamo in race eight is another runner from the Pursell kennel that is Hobart Thousand bound.

“He has only had the three runs down here, he went 26.00 his first start when he won then ran third and went 26.04, and then ran the best of the night last week in 25.97, so he has shaped up nicely in his three runs down here,” said the trainer.

There are a number of chasers on Thursday night heading towards next week’s final, some of those at the top of the market in their respective races include Devonport Chase winner Wynburn Sheean who lines up as the $1.75 favourite over Victorian trainers, and Devonport Chase runner up Aston Pilsner at $3.10 in race six.

Highland Chief is another on a Hobart Thousand path and he is the $1.12 favourite in race five.

Another short price favourite who is Hobart Thousand bound is Recall in race two.

The pre-post favourite for the final with Ladbrokes is Tommy Shelby at $4.50.

Tommy Shelby arrived in the state on Monday and is one of four greyhounds to have an exhibition trial between races on Thursday night.

Other runners trialling are Paua Of Oscar, Stardom and Aston Ulysses.

Those trials and Thursday’s meeting can be seen live on TasracingTV with race 1 scheduled for 19:19.

Watch Sprint Gordan (box 2) score in a heat of the Devonport Chase.