Tassie’s finest Stayers and Sprinters will be on show tonight in the State heats of the National Championships.
The first distance heat (R3) sees the return clash of star stayers Bell Haven trained by Ted Medhurst and her litter brother Beaudine trained by Butch Deverell.
It should be another close contest which stands at one all.
Mick Stringer’s Back Page Lead is in superb form at Elwick lately and should be taken in the multiples.
Jethro (R4) another litter brother and kennel mate to Beaudine will be a raging favourite in the other distance heat.
His debut distance run was a brilliant win at Launceston and the big 709 metre track here will hold no fear.
Paper Trail, Tadmore Dunoon and Baretta Bee look next best.
The sprinters start the ball rolling in Race 5.
The great Rewind, nose second in the Hobart Thousand, will have to contend with his sister Clyde’s Angel and topliners Black Nitro and Zavance Man.
Tasmania’s finest bitch, the Debbie Cannan trained Emerald Lee returns in Heat Two (R6) and she looks very hard to hold out.
Her main opposition look to be rising stars Shanlyn Poh, trained by Graeme Moate and Speed Direct.
The enigmatic Bergermeister (R7) must start favourite.
He has 11 wins (but no placings) over the Hobart 461 metre sprint and is the reigning track record holder and the pink draw looks ideal.
The ultra-consistent New Recruit (R8) looks very hard to beat in the last leg of the quadrella while the final heat (R9) sees up and comer Gatty Com for Brendan Pursell having to contend with Ted Medhurst’s in form star Rob Pines, who will undoubtedly start a warm favourite.
Best Bets: R3 No 1 Bell Haven, R5 No 7 Rewind, R6 No 3 Emerald Lee.
Best E/W: R1 No 1 Dazzling Blue, R8 No 8 New Recruit, R9 No 8 Rob Pines.
Preview by Peter Hayes