Tasracing

Premier trainer Scott Brunton celebrated another big day at the office by preparing five of the nine winners in Hobart on Sunday.

It was nothing new for Brunton to train multiple winners but this haul has come at a time when all trainers are relying on every bit of prize money as the industry is blessed each day it can continue to race during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s always nice to get winners but in today’s worrying times these wins are all a bonus,” Brunton said.

The stable’s first four winners arrived in successive races from race two to five with the fourth winner, Ruettiger dead-heating with Gee Gee True Story in a slogging finish.

But it was the win of Banstead ($4.60) that impressed the most with this latest victory the gelding’s fourth in succession.

Banstead (David Pires) settled third in the small field of seven while Spearhead showed loads of speed to lead.

But when he punctured turning for home, Secrets She Has ($13.00) burst to the lead but she had no answer to Banstead that powered home to win by a half-length and not fully extended.

Zatacla ($2.40 fav) was 1-1/2 lengths away in third and over a length clear of Sh’bourne Star ($5.50).

“This horse has stepped up to every challenge I’ve put in front of him and today he’s won a benchmark 84 as a rating 67 horse,” Brunton said.

“I just hope he isn’t persecuted by the handicapper.”

Pires was full of praise for the gelded son of Zacinto-Variation.

“This horse has gone from strength to strength this prep and today he proved to me that he’s definitely starting to know what racing is all about,” Pires said.

Stelladoni (Siggy Carr) wins on debut in Hobart on 29 March.

“He settles and he chases hard and on the line today he had a fair bit in reserve.”

First-starter Stelladoni ($5.50) was impressive in leading all the way at her debut but punters were left lamenting the win as she defeated her stablemate and odds-on favourite Shampz Again ($1.75).

Siggy Carr took the four-year-old mare straight to the front from gate two and when they came at her in the home straight the four-year-old mare found another gear and hit the line almost a length clear of Shampz Again with Heaven’s Heartbreak ($5.00) a half-length astern.

Brunton’s other winners were Kuroset ($2.70 fav) in a maiden over 1000 metres in which she was never better than three-wide but defied the tough run to win comfortably and Born Magic ($7.00) led throughout with Georgie Catania aboard to win a 0-60 handicap over 1400 metres.

Watch Banstead score his third win in succession at Elwick on Sunday: