In Brief
- Yole continues a great start to the season.
- Tasmanian trainer leads national title.
- McDonald leads drivers premiership.
A training double on Friday night’s six-race Hobart card saw trainer Ben Yole extend his lead at the top of the Australian trainer’s premiership. Yole, who has had more than 600 starters this season, took his season total to 52 wins which places him 17 wins clear of Queensland trainer Jack Butler on the national title.
Coveffe Hustler opened the Yole stables winning account in the opening race, which was a rating 30-49 event.
Driver Samantha Gangell was keen to find the lead on the $7.00 chance before handing up the lead at the 1800 metre mark.
The five-year-old Auckland Reactor mare worked into the clear around the home turn to go on and score her sixth career victory by 9.9 metres in a mile rate of 2m 1.0s for the 2090-metre trip.
Punchinello was sent out as the $2.50 favourite in the second race of the night, and the 10-year-old gelding justified his favouritism scoring a six-metre win in a race that saw the Yole stable prepare the first six placegetters past the post.
The Live Or Die pacer settled one-out and five-back before reinsman Troy McDonald secured a three-wide cart up over the final lap in the 20-49 rated event.
Swinging into the home straight five-wide, Punchinello had too much speed in the straight to score an easy win in the end, in a mile rate of 2m 2.0s.
The win was McDonald’s 26th win of the season which sees him at the top of the state drivers premiership seven wins clear over Rohan Hillier.
Three-year-old pacer Sharmey returned to his national racing bracket after racing against his own age group and won a rating 50 to 54 event for trainer Juanita McKenzie and Ricky Duggan.
Iden Forest continued his good recent form to win his ninth race for father-son duo Chris and Matthew Howlett.
If the drive of the night award was still in play, then it would have gone to Mark Yole for his drive on Black Ops in a rating 55 to 62 event after Yole caught his rivals napping in the 1609-metre event, while Beau Garcon led all the way to win the trotters event for the Rodney Ashwood, Conor Crook combination.
WATCH Punchinello take out the second race: