Twenty year old Amy Crossland is well placed to become the fourth female to win the Bullock Consulting Youngbloods. The series, now in its 25th year, was won by Leanne Barker in 1988, Tammy Mollross in 1991, 1992 and 1993 and Tamra Fawdry in 1992.
The last two heats of the six heat series will be decided at the The TOTE Racing Centre (Launceston) on Sunday night. Crossland is in equal second place with 28 points and is three points behind Brendan Gebel but appears to have two very good chances of closing the gap.
In heat five she has drawn Little Miss Madam from the in form Ben Yole stable. A former South Australian pacer, Little Miss Madam has started four times in Tasmania and was an impressive second after death seating at The TOTE Racing Centre two starts back.
Little Miss Madam has drawn ideally in barrier one and her previous win was from the same barrier at Globe Derby (Adelaide) when she led throughout. The danger and short price favourite will be Enchanted Heart for Braydon Withers, who has 24 points.
Crossland will partner the favourite Lugovoi Leis in the final heat. The Barrie Rattray trained gelding drops appreciably in class after a fast finishing last start second to boom three year old Gedlee.
Crossland is one of two young mothers in the series. Her son Benjamin is almost two years old and Melissa Maine (22 years old) is the mother of two year old Jackson. Melissa is 10 points behind the leader and needs to win with Brown Paige (Heat 5) or Frosty Stumpjumper to have any chance of taking out the series.
Points after heat four are:
Brendan Gebel 31
Amy Crossland 28
David Medhurst 28
James Johnson 26
Justin Howlett 24
Bradley Wise 24
Braydon Withers 24
Nathan Ford 22
Melissa Maine 21
Ben Rossendell 21
Drivers are allocated 12 points for a win, nine for second, eight for third, down to one for tenth.
Winners of previous series are:
1985-86 Richard Housego and Leigh Dornauf
1986-87 Scott Ford
1987-88 Leanne Barker and Nathan Postlethwaite
1988-89 Darren Jacobson
1989-90 Darren Withers
1990-91 Tammy Mollross
1991-92 Tammy Mollross and Tamra Fawdry
1992-93 Tammy Mollross
1993-94 Darrin Denny
1994-95 Phillip Ford
1995-96 Matthew Dwyer
1996-97 Phillip Ford
1997-98 Heath Szczypka
1998-99 Nathan Garwood
1999-2000 Nathan Garwood
2000-01 Nathan Garwood
2001-02 Andrew Rawlings
2002-03 James Rattray
2003-04 James Rattray
2004-05 Brendan Gebel
2005-06 James Austin
2006-07 Mark Yole
2007-08 David Medhurst
2008-09 Todd Rattray