TALENTED dog Prankster notched the biggest win of his career when he outgunned a star-studded field in the $107,000 Group 1 Wrest Point Hobart Thousand over 461 metres at Tattersall’s Park last night.
The Robert Britton-trained dog made the most of his ideal draw to lead from box one.
Pressure came from the favourite Silent Guardian but when the Darren McDonald-trained dog was squeezed out of the action nearing the top turn Prankster burst clear and went on to defeat NSW representative Hurricane Luke by over a length with the Graeme Bate-trained Gripen Bale only a neck astern third.
Britton was thrilled with the win and deemed it one of his most precious victories.
“I’ve won Group races in other states but there is something special about winning a Hobart Thousand,” trainer Britton said.
“It’s been around for 75 years and is the oldest feature race on the national calendar, so it’s a race every trainer wants to win,” he said.
Prankster is owned in Western Australia by Richard Lynch who was unable to travel to Tasmania for the race.
“Circumstances prevented Richard (Lynch) from being here but I’m sure he’ll be celebrating from wherever he watched the race on Sky,” he said.
Prankster has always shown above average ability winning his first four starts as a pup with three of those at Sandown Park.
“I have been fortunate enough to have had this dog entrusted to me from a very young age.”
“It was obvious from day one that he had something special and his record tells us he is a dog with a very bright future,” he said.
It was Prankster’s 13th win from only 30 starts with nine minor placings with the Hobart Thousand winner’s purse of $75,000 boosting his career stake earnings to just over $120,000.
Hurricane Luke tried valiantly to run the winner down and at one stage in the straight he looked likely to do it.
However, the Prankster was too strong when it counted, digging deep when the pressure was applied to hold out all comers over the concluding stages.
Hurricane Luke’s trainer Ruth Matic said her charge was not quite at his top in the final.
“We brought this dog here to Tassie about six weeks ago to get a look at the track before the Thousand heats and he won a graded race emphatically,” Matic said.
“But he had a little setback and while he did a great job tonight he was not the dog I brought here six weeks ago,” she said.
Gripen Bale did a good job to finish as close as he did, given his chequered run.
Gripen Bale’s trainer Graeme Bate was unable to make the trip to Hobart and the dog’s handler Rob Camilleri conceded the heat (40 degrees) in which the dog had to travel on Wednesday left the Paul Wheeler-owned youngster slightly dehydrated.
“They weren’t the most ideal travelling conditions but the dog was bright and in good shape come race time,” he said.
Silent Guardian was sent out the popular elect at $3 but at one stage he was paying $2.20.
It wasn’t the first time McDonald had the favourite in a Hobart Thousand as he was also unsuccessful with the great Brett Lee in 2000.
Brett Lee ran second to Top Shiraz in 2000 and was sent around the long odds-on favourite.
McDonald is very keen to get a Hobart Thousand onto his CV and he probably deserves one as he has been a regular to Tasmania for the past decade.
Another hard-luck story belonged to Remo Rubik that copped a check approaching the home turn that cost him any chance.