Tasracing

Andrew Freeman goes into tonight’s second round heats of the 6ty° Youngbloods Challenge one-point off the lead and the concession driver will be hoping to secure maximum points in heat four when he drives inform pacer The Shallows.

The Heath Woods trained pacer has drawn barrier three on the second-row in race five tonight and the gelding goes into the race with brilliant form as driver Andrew Freeman will be out to get his second win of the series.

“He is performing well, winning his last four starts in Hobart, he can come from back off the speed in these sort of races where there looks to be a bit of speed early which suits,” said Freeman.

Ladbrokes opened The Shallows at $2.15 over Karpenkova Leis, who draws to get a great run behind the leader at $4.00, with Machitelli, the expected leader after an all the way win in Devonport last start on the third line of betting at $4.80, rounding out those in single figures.

Heat three of the series is race three where Freeman drives the Todd Rattray trained Jocund who has an outside of the front row draw to contend with.

“He will need a bit of luck from the draw, I will have a chat with Todd Rattray (trainer) in what he wants to do, it’s a good field off the front row including Mach Charm who I drove to victory last week,” said the driver.

Jocund is a $10 chance with Mach Charm at the top of the Ladbrokes market at $3.70 with seven horses $10 or under which indicates the even field that has been assembled.

Freeman, 21, works as a courier driver as well as finding the time to help trainer Marc Butler a couple of mornings a week and wasn’t expecting an invite to the series after not being in the sulky at the races since June.

“I wasn’t expecting to get an invite, I hadn’t had a drive while dad (Gary) had none racing over winter, so being able to get a winner early in the series was a real feel-good moment after not being on the track for a while,” explained the driver.

The 6ty° Youngbloods Challenge is being led by Taylor Ford on 20 points, Andrew Freeman 19, Ben Woodsford and Hannah Van Dongen 18, Matthew Howlett 13, Justin Howlett and Charlie Castles 9, Lachlan Dakin, Georgia Hayward and Samantha Freeman all on 8.

The final two heats of the 6ty° Younngboods will be held in Launceston on Friday night with the meeting featuring heats of the McKillop Insurance Brokers Tassie Golden Apple.

Several horses contesting the Golden Apple may well come through tonight’s free-for-all (race seven), which is headlined by Ryley Major at 20:37.

The Rohan Hillier trained and driven star has won 20 of his 30 starts to date including his last four starts.

Bookmakers have installed Call Me Hector as the second favourite in the race.

The Matthew Cooper trained and driven pacer has blistering gate speed and will appreciate the front row draw, but in six starts with Ryley Major, “Hector” has been unable to beat the Rohan Hillier trained and driven pacer home.

Call Me Hector will not contest the Golden Apple as several scratchings in his trial in Hobart on Monday saw only two runners contest his standing start trial which meant the pacer was unable to re-qualify from a standing start despite another standing start trial being held on the night.

Cooper indicated on social media that he is considering sending Call Me Hector to Victoria to compete in the new Mercury80 race during the Summer Of Glory carnival.

The Mercury80 is a heat and final series that has many speed incentives with races over the 1200-metre trip.

Tonight’s Hobart card commences with heat two of the Allan Williams Memorial at 17:30.

Watch Ryley Major win in Hobart on 24 November where five of his rivals tonight finished behind him: