Tasracing

The track

Like the previous meeting in Hobart riders looked to race as close to the outside fence as possible in the home straight, particularly as the day wore on. It wasn’t impossible to make ground up the inside however with several placegetters sticking to the inside turning for home.

It would seem that most riders certainly feel the inside part of the track is currently inferior, perhaps due to the number of trials that have been conducted at the track in recent months.

It’s worth remembering this was just the sixth meeting back on the re-developed track since the initial return, Schweppes Derby Day on 1 February.

The winners

1100m

Race 2 (2YO Handicap) – First Accused 1:06.51

Race 1 (Benchmark 74 Hcp) – GeeGee Trendsetter 1:07.30

Gee Gee Trendsetter with strapper Gemma Curtain and rider Siggy Carr.

1200m

Race 10 (Benchmark 66 Hcp) – Kuroset 1:13.18

Race 3 (Maiden) – Shampz Again 1:14.50

Race 4 (Maiden) – Lady of Fortune 1:15.07

1400m

Race 5 (Open Hcp) – Fragment 1:30.02

Race 6 (Maiden) – Boom Dot Com 1:30.54

Race 7 (Class 1) – Vivid Dreamer 1:30.59

1600m

Race 8 (Benchmark 74 Hcp) – Stormont 1:44.55

Race 9 (Maiden/Class 1) – Sh’Bourne Renegade 1:46.28

Race summaries

Race 1: As is often the case in small fields, this was run at a leisurely pace, particularly for an 1100m sprint and resulted in some of the best closing splits of the day. Punters found GeeGee Trendsetter ($2.50F) off typically consistent form since racing resumed and Siggy Carr stuck to the inside to deliver the result with ease. Her win came against the pattern of the day. Our Artie ($26.00) was outclassed on ratings but rattled home down the outside in the home straight, the only horse for the day to break 36 seconds over the last 600m. Tough Missile ($11 into $5.50) ran much worse than the market indicated, and it’s now been a long time since she’s shown her best.

First Accused (Georgie Catania) winning a 2YO Hcp in Hobart.

Race 2: This was a race dominated on-speed as the first four in-running were the first four across the line, all at the head of the betting market. First Accused ($5.50) had the drop on the leading pair and was strong late for Georgie Catania. He looked to have an extra gear from his most recent trial and that was certainly the case. The overall time was five lengths quicker than the previous race run by much better performed horses. Entrapped ($4.40 out to $5.50) gave a good kick from the lead, beating off Gee Gee Goldenlass ($2.70F) with a huge gap back to Swingin’ George ($5.00) in fourth.

Race 3: The betting had this race as a one act affair and Shampz Again ($2.30 into $1.55) won like the good thing the market said he was. He was afforded the run of the race by David Pires and the 3YO gelding atoned for two runs as a beaten favourite to start his career. Indigo Girls ($8.00) ran well on debut for second ahead of Real Acclaim ($19) who made good ground from the back after racing wide and Carolina Et Vite ($4.80 out to $11) who settled much further back from a wide draw than she did on debut.

Race 4: Lady of Fortune ($3.50 into $2.80) received a great steer from Siggy Carr to win going away in the fourth of the day. Carr came from well of the pace in a race where the rest of the placegetters were the first three in-running and the splits for the 2YO filly from the 600m were clearly the fastest of the race. This was another tick for the 2YO form at this time of the year. Captain Dave ($7.50) stuck on gamely towards the inside and I think he’ll show his best on a wet track. Runaway Girl ($3.80) had her chance, looking home 200m out as she did last start but again was swamped late, finishing ahead of Gee Gee Can Win ($3.30) who raced three-wide albeit on a moderate tempo.

Race 5: Fragment ($4.40 into $3.20) landed some good betting blows at his return to Tasmania, winning first-up for Scott Brunton. He finished with the fastest last 400m and 200m splits of the program down the outside fence for a soft win. It was a well-timed ride by David Pires who didn’t panic when Shady Hustle ($5.50) went for home well before him. Her run was excellent in her own right and Stephen Lockhart may be looking across the water with her given she has no synthetic form to speak of. Ruettiger ($2.35 out to $2.80F) was reasonably firm given the money for the stablemate, leading and sticking on for third ahead of The Master Speed ($16 into $8) who took a sit just behind the leader.

Boom Dot Com (Daniel Ganderton) winning in Hobart.

Race 6: Boom Dot Com ($7 out to $11) won with ease at her second Tasmanian start for trainer Glenn Stevenson. Daniel Ganderton settled the filly close to the speed which was beneficial given the race wasn’t strongly run and he powered past the leaders on the home turn, always appearing the winner at the top of the straight. Lucky Lil ($5 into $3.40 fav) was the one the market found, and she ran well from midfield without ever being really close enough to threaten. Captain Morgan ($10) and Olympic Honour ($7) were the next two after settling first and second in the run, with Douglas ($4.60) and Banca Syd ($12) the best closers in a race where backmarkers never got warm.

Race 7: The first leg of the quaddie saw an unlikely combination team up when Vivid Dreamer ($9.50) won for Chris Crook & Imogen Miller with Yassy Nishitani in the saddle. For Crook & Miller it was their first Tasmanian winner since the same horse won in April 2019, and Nishitani’s last winner was way back in June 2017. Neither stable or jockey have had big numbers in that period, and it was great to see all involved back in the winner’s stall. It was a big effort from the horse who rounded the field up from towards the back, wearing down the leader Flourishing Future ($17) who was well rated by Georgie Catania. Costero ($16) cut the corner saving a stack of ground to finish third in what was another good run following his victory in Hobart a fortnight ago.

Race 8: Stormont ($5.50) went right on from a terrific first-up effort to win by a space with Bulent Muhcu aboard. Muhcu saved ground cutting the home corner before working to the outside in the straight where the 6YO gelding produced the sixth fastest last 200m of the day, a great effort at the end of 1600m. Rod Seymour had the quinella in the race when My Kingdom ($21) sat second throughout ahead of Silver Road ($7) who covered ground from a wide barrier. Plenty of value went into the placegetters and subsequent exotics with moves missing on Reann’s Diamond ($9 into $5.50) and Malmas ($5.50 into $3.50F) who were the next two across the line.

Sh’bourne Renegade (Bulent Muhcu) bursts clear to win in Hobart on Sunday

Race 9: Arguably the biggest upset of the day was saved for the second last race when Sh’Bourne Renegade ($9) knuckled down late to defeat Videmanette ($1.40F). The win gave Bulent Muhcu a race to race double, forced to cover ground unlike the previous race from well back in the field. An early run from Dinga’s Delight ($16) who would eventually finish third gave Muhcu a backside to follow but the 3YO gelding still had to take a gap in the straight for his second consecutive win. The favourite appeared a reluctant leader but kicked strongly when challenged to finish second. The run of Hunch ($81) for fourth was his second solid effort in Tasmania and he may warrant more respect next time than the market gave here.

Race 10: On a day where he trained four winners it was fitting Scott Brunton would have the quinella in the last when Kuroset ($6.50 into $3.90) defeated Gympins ($11) to also give David Pires a treble. This looked a race with plenty of speed on paper and that came to fruition with the trifecta all settling worse than midfield in the run. It was a quick progression from Class 1 to Benchmark 66 for the 3YO filly Kuroset and she looks a nice horse in the making. Gympins saved ground on the home turn like many placegetters did through the day with that pair spacing Zagame ($6) down the outside fence for third. Late scratching’s of Set Play ($4.40) and Alinger ($6) had an impact on betting fluctuations with almost 40% of the market between them.

FORMPLUS Black Bookers

First Accused – Excellent debut. Did a bit wrong but still had a good margin on the line.

Entrapped – Potentially ran into a smart one. Overall time good compared to the older horses with big margins back through the field.

Stormont – Two runs this campaign have been super. Unproven on the synthetic may be the query in coming weeks.

Watch the replay of Stormont winning a benchmark 74 on Sunday.