VICTORIAN trainer-driver John “Bulldog” Nicholson revealed plans to campaign his improving pacer Em Maguane in Western Australia following the gelding’s decisive win in the $20,000 Tote Sport Radio Hobart Cup at Tattersall’s Park on Sunday night.
With Nicholson in the sulky Em Maguane made a lightning move from the rear of the field to assume control with just over two laps of the grueling 3060-metre final remaining.
A pedestrian first half gave the six-year-old a chance to catch his breath but he made it tough fort his rivals by stepping up the pace and record a sub 28 second third quarter that was a contributing factor to the outcome of the race.
Em Maguane hit the line over two metres clear of Dance Of The Deity with SkyTower a similar margin away third.
“Once we found the front we had a pretty good run but he had to work a bit to get there (lead),” Nicholson said.
“He did it tough tonight and he showed just how strong he is the way he fought it out at the end,” he said.
Em Maguane is likely to return to Victoria this week and then head to WA.
“I reckon we’ll take him to WA and try and win a couple of metropolitan races over there and we might be back in Tassie for the Easter Cup,” Nicholson said.
Outside of the winner the big run in the race was that of the third placegetter SkyTower that suffered interference at the start that cost him a conservative 20 metres.