CLASSY Victorian three-year-old pacer Mr Nickel delivered an expected demolition job on his rivals in the SEW Eurodrive Tasmanian Derby at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart tonight (Sunday).
The Dean Braun-trained gelded son of Village Jasper faced the breeze for most of the race outside of leader Driller Mac but when driver Greg Sugars called on his charge for the supreme effort he burst to the lead turning for home and went on to win comfortably.
Mr Nickel hit the line over eight metres clear of star Tasmanian filly Cloudy Delight with Willbe Doc a half-neck away third.
It was Mr Nickel’s sixth win of the season with the winner’s cheque sending his career stake earnings to just under $240,000.
Driller Mac showed tremendous early speed to cross to the fence from gate five and lead them clearly into the home straight the first time, while Sugars allowed his charge to relax into his stride and sat a length off the leader and content to the lead the outside brigade.
Punt Road Disco trailed the leader while the Christian Salter-trained Aninchofhislife enjoyed the coveted one-out-one-back trail.
Willbe Doc and Cloudy Delight were forced to ease out of the early action and settled last and second-last respectively and they both hit the line strongly while the leader capitulated in the home straight.
Braun always had the Tasmanian Derby on Mr Nickel’s agenda and with this mission accomplished he is now likely to aim the gelding at the New South Wales Derby.
Listen to what trainer Dean Braun had to say about Mr Nickel’s impressive Tasmanian Derby win – click here.