Josh Wright boasts a terrific winning strike-rate at Launceston and the Mole Creek trainer is poised to uphold that standing tonight with two legitimate winning chances.
Batting at a 26 percent winning strike-rate, the first of Wright’s runners on tonight’s 10-event card is the ever consistent Stylish Evie in race four, drawn box two in the Free-For-All over the 278-metre dash.
Quoted a $3.25 second favourite in early markets, Stylish Evie has found herself in the money at 10 of her 13 Launceston appearances, a record that holds her in good stead for a forward performance tonight.
“She’s been getting into a bit of trouble lately so I’m hoping tonight she can take advantage of some room early – the draws looks good for her,” Wright said.
“She’s not the strongest bitch in the world; I gave her a few 452m runs at Devonport but she struggles to run that out, the three gets up the track so she should get a chance to take a run; she’s feeling really good.”
Third at her two most recent outings, the daughter of Rewind has won five of her six races out of boxes one and two, and with race favourite Wind Waker (box three) expected to shift outwards at box rise, Stylish Evie looks a tidy betting proposition for tonight’s competitive affair.
The second of Wright’s runners rolls around in race six, with last start Devonport winner Speedy Deneholme drawn the rails alley over the 515 metres.
A winner at three of his four starts when wearing the red rug, Speedy Deneholme, a son of Magic Sprite, upstaged the highly fancied Leica Prayer at Devonport last time out, downing the group 3 runner-up by a length in 25.78.
Hugely consistent throughout his 36 start career, winning 11 times with a further 11 placings, Speedy Deneholme is a two-time winner at Launceston, both those victories coming over the shorter trip.
“As he’s got a bit older he’s got a bit stronger so I expect him to run the 500 out tonight better than what he did early on as a pup,” Wright said.
“I really liked how he got to the line at Devonport last week so if he jumps tonight like he did last week he should give a big sight. If he goes like I hope I’ll enter him for the (Launceston) cup heats next week.”
In an open betting race, Speedy Deneholme is the $4.50 second favourite ahead of $3.00 favourite Sticka Fantasy from box eight.
The best bet on tonight’s Launceston program is in race eight where Sprint Gordon looks awfully hard to beat from his plumb box one draw.
Having his final hit-out before next week’s Group 2 Launceston Cup heats, the Blake Pursell-trained son of Spring Gun returned to racing with a slashing Hobart victory last time out in a slick 26.00.
Early markets see him deep into the red for tonight’s assignment, around the $1.35 mark. A price that looks more than justified.