TALENTED sprinter Breaker’s Tip is one race away from winning his first Group race after giving his rivals a galloping lesson in a Launceston Cup semi-final over 515 metres at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston tonight (Monday).
Breaker’s Tip went into the race having won at his previous three outings including a brilliant victory in his Launceston Cup heat.
With the aid of the inside box (1) the Gary Fahey-trained son of Mogambo flew the lids and had the best part of four lengths break on his rivals by the time he entered the back straight.
The heavily backed odds-on favourite Secret Spell, from the Kelly Bravo kennel, that clocked the best time of the six heat winners, was slowly away from box eight and found trouble at the first turn and never recovered.
Breaker’s Tip extended his lead heading down the back stretch and he maintained a clear advantage all the way up the home straight.
He hit the line almost 10 lengths clear of outsider Warehouse Mouse with Gemstone Jack a close-up third.
Breaker’s Tip was the slowest of the six heat winners clocking 30.01 but he showed he was a real contender to win the final by clocking a slick 29.65 in his semi-final with splits of 4.99 and 17.46.
Bravo was disappointed about Secret Spell missing a berth in the final but she will be well represented by Waymore Blues and Ride The Rails.
Waymore Blues began fairly from box five but somehow found a way clear of the pack at the first turn to put a gap on his rivals.
The son of Collide sizzled down the back stretch and went on to defeat the Allan Clark-trained Brad Hill Billy by almost five lengths with Sing The Song running on gamely for third.
Waymore Blues arrived in Tassie with a win at The Meadows over 600m to his credit but he had his colours lowered in his heat by Dominator Girl.
But he turned the tables on that bitch after she was entangled in a mix-up heading to the first turn after which she could not improve and missed a place.
Brad Hill Billy stuck to his guns and was taking ground off the winner in the home straight and could make his presence felt with some luck in the final.
Ride The Rails also was only fairly away in his semi-final wearing the green vest.
But like his kennel mate he found a way to miss trouble and settled behind the leader Minnie Mogul (8) before taking the lead in the back stretch.
He rolled down the back stretch with a clear advantage and went on to score by 2-1/2 lengths from Lillycette that rattled home along the rails to edge out Minnie Mogul on the line.
Ride The Rails stopped the clock at 29.68 with splits of 5.06 and 17.72.
The first two placegetters in each of the three semi-finals earned a berth in the final.
The two fastest thirds, Sing The Song and Minnie Mogul also made the final to be run over 515 metres next Monday night.
Barrier Draw:
1 Brad Bill Billy
2 Ride the Rails
3 Way More’s Blues
4 Sing the Song
5 Breaker’s Tip
6 Lillycette
7 Warehouse Mouse
8 Minnie Mogul
First Reserve
Gemstone Jack
Second Reserve
One Dee