Tasmanian Performances During The Week
Beautide in Bendigo Cup
Beautide is back at the races. The champion Tassie pacer has drawn barrier four in the $50,000 Bendigo Cup on Saturday night and his rivalry with Christen Me is set to continue. The star New Zealander will start from barrier three.
Christen Me has a slight lead in the head to head battles. Christen Me beat Beautide in the 2014 Miracle Mile and was third in the 2013 Victoria Cup with Beautide behind him in fourth place. Beautide’s only victory over Christen Me was in the 2013 Miracle Mile.
The 2015 Bendigo Cup is Race 6 at 9.00 pm.
Paul Ashwood double at Launceston
East Devonport trainer Paul Ashwood got an early double at Launceston on Friday night. Sultan Fella ($1.40 fav) proved too classy in the 2YO stand and Melolyn ($3.50) led throughout in the C5/C7 event.
Sultan Swing has dominated 2YO races in the last fortnight. The gelded son of Artistic Fella led and won a three horse race at Hobart on 4 January and backed up in a four horse race on Friday night. Punters would have been concerned early when Sultan Fella (Gareth Rattray) settled a long way from the leader Goggo Gee Gee, but he tacked onto to the leaders mid race and sprinted impressively up the lane in a closing quarter of 28.5.
Melolyn had been a model of consistency prior to the win last Friday. The 5YO gelding had placed at eight of his nine previous starts and when driver Rohan Hillier pinched a 63 seconds first half, Melolyn showed his sprinting ability with a 55.7 last half. Spitfire Rose was a gallant second and it was good to see Rohan Hadley back in the cart after 10 weeks off due to a medical condition. Melolyn has a career record of 31 – 11 – 6 – 7 – $66,143.
Barrie and Todd Rattray achieved a double with Fawzia and Ciskei. Fawzia was having her second run this preparation after a sound second to the flying Mister Lennox at Launceston on 30 November in a 2.00.3 mile rate for the 2200 metres. The 3YO Sportswriter – Public Persecution filly led and ambled through the first half in 65.3 before dashing home in 57.6 to narrowly defeat Dancing Da Vinci (Christian Salter). Fawzia, last seasons 2YO filly of the year, has won five of her seven starts, was second in the other two, and has $44,996 in stakemoney.
Ciskei returned to the winners list after finishing strongly wide on the track in the C2/C4 contest. The 6YO Bettors Delight gelding’s previous win was 15 starts back in the $30,000 Raider Stakes at Devonport in May 2013 but two seconds to Maybe Rama in the previous three weeks provided the foundation for the Launceston win.
The feature event of the night, the $10,000 Harry Holgate Memorial Final, was quinellaed by the birthday boys – 42 year old Beauty Point twins Rohan and Troy Hillier. After sitting three back on the pegs with the Brett Jaffray trained Onemorelaugh ($9.30), Rohan worked the 4YO gelding into clear running to win by five metres from the gallant mare Robyn Scherbotsky ($2.90 Troy Hillier), who just failed to overcome her wide second line draw.
Devonport owners Ian Collins, Brett Collins and Peter Jones purchased OnemoreLaugh after a July 2014 3YO win at Yarra Valley (Victoria). The gelding was unplaced at his first three Tasmanian starts but his next three starts at Launceston have produced two wins and a second. Onemorelaugh has a career record of 10 – 3 – 2 – 0 – $15,995.
Huge Cup meeting at Burnie
Perfect weather enticed a record crowd to the Wivenhoe Showgrounds on Sunday evening. The $10,000 Radio 7BU Burnie Cup was the main attraction and Brighton trainer Christian Salter was successful with former Victorian mare Miss Lively. The 7YO Live Or Die mare was fractious at the start but pinged straight to the front when the tapes were released. From there, driver Nathan Ford was always in control and Miss lively ($3.80) went on to win by eight metres from Hello Good Shanks (2.90 fav) and Musselroe Bay ($17.00).
In recent weeks, Salter has worked wonders with Miss Lively. The mare commenced racing as a 5YO and won two of her first three starts. Winless in her next 23 starts, that form vein continued after Salter leased her in October, with unplaced runs at two Hobart starts in November.
Then the penny dropped and it is rapidly turning into a gold coin! Miss Lively won at Launceston, was placed second in Hobart behind Jabber Jawzzz, won another two at Launceston and followed up with the Burnie Cup.
The Allen family from Ross has a special affinity with the Burnie track. The late Jim Allen, who passed away in August 2014, restricted his stable to a maximum of three horses and they often raced the Wivenhoe Showgrounds. Benji Vee won five races for Jim Allen and the last two were at Burnie in early 2012. Just Like Thunder won his first race at Burnie in April 2010.
Guy Allen assisted his father for the last two decades. His trained and drove Thunderdownunder to a win at Launceston in February 2000. Four years later, Guy relinquished his training license and got it back four months ago when he took over the training of the 6YO mare Helenshall. Allen part owns Helenshall and she entered his Campbell Town stables with 10 placing’s and no wins from 42 Victorian starts.
Helenshall was placed at three of her first four starts for Allen and one of those was at Burnie in November. On Sunday at Burnie, Troy Hiller started his three wide run before the bell and Helenshall reeled in the leaders to win narrowly from Baldock (Heath Szczypka).
The North West Tasmania Light Harness Association Mares Feature has been a facet of Burnie harness racing for a quarter of a century and the 2015 running of the $7,000 C0/C3 race went to the Brooke Hammond trained City Babe. Bred by Fred and Pauline Barker and now raced by Leigh Barker and Sam Freeman, master reinsman Gareth Rattray speared City Babe to the early lead and held on for a comfortable five metre win from the 20 metre backmarker, Bertils Delight (Dylan Ford).
Rhodes wins third King Island Cup
Seventy two year old trainer/driver John Rhodes won his third local feature race when No Issue came from a 20 metre handicap to win the 2015 Boags King Island Pacing Cup at Currie on New Years Day. Rhodes trained and drove Cons Choice to victory in 1977 and he piloted the Garry Lee trained Back On Top in 2009.
No Issue is a 6YO Grinfromeartoear – Angel From Heaven gelding. Rhodes bred No Issue and achieved one win from three 3YO starts. His 4YO season was better with three wins and three placing’s from six starts. No Issue missed his 5YO season due to injury and this season his three starts have resulted in the cup win and two second placing’s. No Issue’s career record is 12 – 5 – 4 – 2.
Scottsdale on Friday Twilight
The $10,000 Bridport Hotel North Eastern Pacing Cup (R5) is the main event on the seven race card at Scottsdale on Friday evening. Miss Lively (N4) has drawn favourably on the front line as she attempts to replicate her Burnie Cup win last Sunday in what appears to be an open race. Punt Road Disco (N1), Johnnyace (N2) and Deliverthegoods (N3) are on the front line after starting off 10 metres in the Burnie Cup. The St Marys Cup winner, Black Centurian, goes back to 10 metres.
Four horses will be having their first race start at Scottsdale. Blues Ace (R1 N5) is a 3YO gelding trained at Latrobe by Brett Jaffray. Arkarama (R2 N2) is a 4YO mare trained at Beauty Point by Rohan Hillier. Blues Ace was a narrow Carrick trial winner on 3 January defeating What A Fine Filly and Arkarama. The overall time was relatively slow.
Cant Be Wrong (R2 N3) is trained at Oatlands by Brett Bailey. The 5YO mare was fourth of five in a Hobart trial on 17 December behind Gotta Go Amigo, Charlie James and Dee Dee Bobby.
Howdy Halo (R6 N2) is trained at Karoola by Dick Eaves. The 5YO gelding was third of four at the Carrick trials on 10 January. Zimero won the trial from Mon Soie and the time was slow.
Hobart Pacing Cup on Sunday Night
The $20,000 Smithawards Hobart Pacing Cup Final is the highlight of the eight races at Hobart on Sunday night. Tasmania Cup winner Star Chamber (N12) will start at cramped odds and can extend his unbeaten sequence to four. Sky Tower (N4) is likely to be the main danger following his impressive heat win. Whodeani (N1) is working back into form after a long spell and the backmarkers Our Chain Of Command (N13) and Motu Crusader (N14) can never be ignored.
The fillies tackle their first feature race this season in the 3YO Fillies Office National Pace (R6). Fawzia (N1) has come up with the plum draw and can broaden her career record to six wins and two seconds from eight starts.
Two very promising pacers are returning from a spell. Angel De Marco is a 4YO mare who has not raced for four months. She won five and was placed three times from nine starts last preparation.
Jerrys Jet (R8 N6) won five of his six 2YO starts and was a gallant second to Boasson Hagen at his last start (July 2014) in the $30,000 Dandy Patch Final. He should be race fit after winning trials at Hobart and New Norfolk in the last fortnight.
2015 Harness Yearling Website Page
The 2015 Harness Yearling Website Page is now available for prospective buyers to evaluate some quality Tasbred yearlings. The page replaces the traditional yearling sale format and will be available up to 27 February 2015.
Buyers can utilise Tasbred breeding incentives to purchase yearlings via the website page. The incentives that can be used are the Breeders Coupon and the Tasbred Owners Breeding Incentive (TOBI).
Any yearling that is advertised on the website page, and has fulfilled all the conditions of the sale, will be eligible for a $2,000 first win bonus provided the win is achieved before the horse reaches five years of age. The $2,000 will be shared between the vendor and buyer with $1,000 for the vendor and $1,000 for the owner at the time the horse wins a race.
All transactions and discussions are to take place between the Vendor and the Buyer.
Full details can be accessed at http://tasrace.in/HY-15
Harness Form Analysis
Information on Scottsdale and Hobart is available at www.tasracing.com.au in the Punters Corner section.