Tasracing

Tasmania’s leading trainer, John Blacker, scored a personal best five winners in Hobart on Sunday.

Blacker has had five winners in Launceston and Devonport but never in Hobart.

He rounded out the day as he started with Araya Sunshine ($3.80) storming home from last to win the 1200m BM60 Hcp.

With Bulent Muchu, who scored a winning double aboard, Araya Sunshine came from last, approaching the turn to grab the lead shortly after and win comfortably.

Zewinna had made it four winners for the day for Blacker, scoring impressively in the 1600m BM68, defeating Eagle Street ($10) and Steel Mist ($8).

Zewinna ($2.70) had put the writing on the wall with two solid placings at her two runs back from a spell.

“We elected not to run last week to keep her for this; she’s going through the grades. She’s an open class horse this season, so there’s more wins in store,” Blacker said.

While Blacker made it four for the day, apprentice rider Lauryn Bingley made it a race-to-race double, following on from her two winners in Launceston on Friday night.

“She put the writing on the wall last start; she was enormous, I didn’t want to lead, I was happy enough to let the leader go, and I got a nice run just in behind,” Bingley said.

Blacker is contemplating giving his filly Baybougg ($4) a crack at the Listed Strutt Stakes after her narrow 1600m Maiden/Class 1 win, scoring by a head over Hububbajahn ($2.80) with Ozturk ($3.20) a close third.

Baybougg has raced just nine times for two wins, both on the Hobart track.

“She’s a real trier; she backed up from last week; I thought the 3yo race last week was pretty strong, and she has done a good job on the quick backup,” Blacker said.

“All along, our plan was to run her in some of the feature 3yo filly races, and now she has won another race. She may be eligible to get into the Strutt Stakes (2100m), but we will just play it by ear.”

The $125,000 Strutt Stakes, a traditional lead-up to the Tasmanian Oaks, is run on Hobart Cup Day, 9 February.

Punters were right on the ball in the first race; the three placegetters were the three best-backed runners.

Blacker was back in the winner’s circle when Mateus broke a frustrating run of second placings to score his first win in the second division of the Maiden/Class 1 (1600m).

Mateus, a 5yo, had raced 10 times for six placings before breaking through.

“He fractured his pelvis; that’s why he had to have a long time off,” Blacker explained.

“Then he came back and looked like he was going to win a race, but never; he ran into a couple of good ones, this time in five starts, four seconds and finally got a result.”

Mateus ($2.35) was always close and handy to the lead; he held off a late charge from Alpine Kate ($11), with stablemate Bunker Bob ($3.70) finishing third after getting clear late.

Blacker made it three for the day when Vintage Diesel ($7.50) scored a runaway win in the BM60 Hcp (2400m), scoring by six lengths.

It was the second easy win in three starts for the 7yo; on New Year’s Day at Longford, he won by 10 lengths, and despite the victory being over the same course as the Hobart Cup, Blacker isn’t tempted to start Vintage Diesel in that event saying a 3000m race at Moonee Valley would be a better option.

Second home was the consistent Lindrum ($3.50), with Pennine ($6.50) making up ground to finish third.