TRAINER Mick Stringer has won his share of feature races in Tasmania but one he has made his own in recent years is the The Mercury Silver Trophy over 461 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart.
Stringer has won the past three Silver Trophy finals with exceptional chasers.
Last night (Thursday) his star bitch Topline Doovee scored one of her most impressive wins when she showed great courage to win the race.
It was successive Silver Trophy finals for the bitch that was last year rated one of the top 10 sprinters in Australia.
Stringer also prepared his former smart bitch Kyra Shiraz to win the 2008 Silver Trophy final.
In this latest edition Topline Doovee led from box one but was kept honest to the home turn by the speedy Mercury Morris (5) that got a two-length break on Stringer’s bitch turning for home.
But Topline Doovee (Bond-Rocket Gear) fought back to score by almost a length from Mercury Morris with Eagle Eye the same margin astern.
It was a game win but one that was expected by punters who sent her around the $2.10 favourite.
“It was great to win another Silver Trophy but it was especially good that it was with Doovee that won this race last year,” Stringer said.
“It’s funny how some races seem to be kind to you and the Silver Trophy is one race that has been a good race for me the past three years,” he said.
Stringer said Topline Doovee was a deserving winner.
“Doovee has been a great race bitch with a brilliant record and while there were some who thought she might be past it I was confident she would win if she jumped with them and got a clear run.”
“I have been in this game a long time and can analyse races pretty well and there were genuine reasons why she probably didn’t win at least two of her past three starts.”
Stringer is hoping Topline Doovee can make at least one more trip across Bass Strait before she retires as a broodbitch.
“I’d like to take her across the pond for another race or two before she retires and there’s a heat and final series at The Meadows in a fortnight that might fit the bill,” he said.
Topline Doovee is owned and raced by Rod Stamford and Nick Mills who have plans to retire the well-bred bitch before the end of the year.
Stringer hasn’t discounted the chance of keeping Topline Doovee in work for another crack at the Hobart Thousand series in which she finished second to kennel mate Little Spaniard in 2008.
“There’s a bit of water to pass under the bridge between now and December. She might be up to another Hobart Thousand campaign but it all depends on the owners,” he said.
If Stringer decides not to head to Victoria with Topline Doovee he will look for suitable races on home soil.
Topline Doovee’s litter sister Topline Jodie made it two wins on the night for the litter when she strolled to a convincing win at Mandurah in Western Australia.
Topline Jodie lived in her sister’s shadow in Tasmania but since she was sold to WA, where she is trained by Kody Charles at Baldivis, she has won six races and is yet to meet here mark.