THE much anticipated heats of the Hobart maiden Thousand take up the entire meeting at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart today.
Due to the extreme weather conditions (heat) forecast for this afternoon the meeting has been delayed with the first race to now start at 6.42 pm with the last of 12 races scheduled to start at 10.25 pm.
Many trainers and owners save their chasers for this series as there is not only a decent cheque for the winner but t also has a lot of prestige attached to it.
Top trainer Ted Medhurst is expected to provide the winner of the first heat with Real Caution that has been freshened up for the series having not started since early November.
He will need luck from box six but he is expected to led and win by most of the pundits.
Margaret Rossendell will more than likely load the favourite in the second heat in Wee Fire that is drawn ideally in box one while Sync or Swim from the Paul Hili kennel will be hard to beat from box three in the third heat.
The fourth to seventh heats are more open affairs but in the eighth Sweet Izzy fro the Medhurst kennel is likely to start favourite despite drawing box four but her last-start second to Razor Cut is good enough form for her to be entitled to favoritism.
The Rod Walker-trained Sir Buddy (1) is drawn to win heat nine and the Wayne Williams-trained Capable Conflict has w his past two and is sure to start the popular elect in heat 10.
The last two heats are wide open.
The first three heats will be broadcast on Sky 1 but the remaining nine heats will be shown on Sky 2.