THE Wrest Point Hobart Thousand final at Tattersall’s Park next week boasts one of the best fields assembled in the Group 1 race in decades.
While it is devoid of a Tasmanian owned or trained finalist, the race should be a wagering dream with five top class Victorian dogs and three rising stars from New South Wales to battle it out on the U-turn track over 461 metres.
It is an all male final which is the first time in 20 years.
The winner of each of the seven heats made it through to the final with the fastest second snaring the last berth.
It was the fastest second that caused a controversial end to the round of heats.
NSW dog Disintergrate and Tasmanian-trained Hellbound finished second in their respective heats and were the equal fastest second placegetters, based on times taken to tenths of a second at 26.38.
But instead of orchestrating a ballot to determine the last finalist, Tasmania’s chief steward Amanda Hill
opted to calculate times to the thousandth of a second which left the locally-trained Hellbound on the outer.
Disintergrate’s time was calculated at 26.3809 while Hellbound’s was 26.3894.
While Disintergrate’s trainer Charlie Gatt was ecstatic, the decision left a nasty taste in the mouth of Hellbound’s trainer Mick Stringer who also prepares the other reserve in the final Lettuce Leaf Lad that is owned in Victoria by Dave Burnett.
Darren McDonald has longed to win a Hobart Thousand and he gets his chance again with two from his kennel securing berths in the final.
Silent Guardian was the fastest heat winner, clocking a sizzling 26.06 on a severely rain-affected track.
The dog began brilliantly from box four to lead and set up his win with a brilliant first split of 5.06 and then a second slit of 11.08 put him three lengths clear turning for home.
He ran home in 9.92 to suggest that he is the likely favourite.
McDonald also has Ultra Rumble into the final and his time of 26.19 from box eight puts him firmly in the mix in the final that offers $75,000 to the winner.
Ultra Rumble stayed wide to the top turn while Pure Thirst made play in front with Fisherman and Lettuce Leaf Lad poised to pounce near the rails turning fore home.
Ultra Rumble burst clear in the home straight and had almost four lengths to spare over Lettuce Leaf Lad with Pure Thirst only a head astern.
“I’m rapt to have to into the final and I’m very pleased with their times,” McDonald said.’
McDonald was a shade disappointed with the result in Gardam Prince’s heat.
Gardam Prince raced outside of the leader, Where’s Ned, to the home turn but when pressure came three-wide from the eventual winner Belle’s Pace, McDonald’s dog faltered and finished out of a place.
McDonald has been trying to win a Hobart Thousand for over a decade.
He had the great Brett Lee into the final but he was no match for local hero Black Caleb in the final.
Belle’s Pace is prepared by Sam Sultana and he was impressed with his charge’s effort.
“He’s into the final and that was our mission. Once you’re in (the final) you’re a chance,” he said.
Top Victorian trainer Graeme Bate knows what it takes to win a Hobart Thousand, having won four which is the most of any trainer since the race’s inception 75 years ago.
Bate prepares Gripen Bale that was very impressive in wining his heat out of box eight.
Gripen Bale tracked wide to the home turn but in the home straight he darted to the rails and got up on the inside of the leader Octane Show and then powered home to score by over five lengths.
NSW trainer Ruth Matic will be hoping for a better result this year’s final following a disappointing result in 2006 when she campaigned Faithful Love.
This week her classy sprinter Hurricane Luke will carry her hopes of wining her third Group 1.
Hurricane Luke won the opening heat that was run in torrential rain.
The son of Premier Fantasy carried the red vest but it was of no advantage in the conditions.
The fence was slow and with so much pressure from dogs on his outsider, Hurricane Luke was forced to ease and go around the leader Pedro Pronto in the home straight.
Prangster made his way into the final with an impressive heat win.
The Robert Britton-trained dog gained the upper hand from his rivals at the top of the straight and then staved off a late but from the favourite Disintergrate.
Remo Rubik from the Geoff Mitchell kennel, made the most of a clear passage to the top turn fro box six by bursting clear in the straight and then held out a determined Hellbound.
The final field:
Silent Guardian (Vic – Darren McDonald) 26.06.
Gripen Bale (Vic – Graeme Bate) 26.14.
Ultra Rumble (Vic – Darren McDonald) 26.19.
Remo Rubik (Vic – Geoff Mitchell) 26.24.
Prangster (Vic – Robert Britton) 26.34.
Hurricane Luke (NSW – Ruth Matic) 26.49.
Belle’s Pace (NSW – Sam Sultana) 26.59.
Fastest 2nd – Disintergrate (NSW – Charlie Gatt) 26.3809.
Reserves:
Hellbound (Tas – Mick Stringer) 26.3894.
Lettuce Leaf Lad (Tas – Mick Stringer).
The box draw will be held at the HGRC Hobart Thousand dinner at Tattersall’s Park on Saturday night.