With racing in Tasmania on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Tasmanian owners have sent horses interstate to continue their racing preparations.
One Victorian trainer who has benefited from that is Shelbourne trainer Kate Hargreaves who will take six horses to Lords Raceway Bendigo on Tuesday, five of those Tasmanian owned.
In race three the Share Media Trot, Hargreaves prepares two trotters in Beau Garcon and Mascott.
Both horses are owned by syndicates formed by the Tasmanian Trotting Club as a way to get more people interested and involved with the local Tasmanian industry.
Hargreaves gave a strong push for Beau Garcon when speaking on new racing radio station SEN Track on Friday night.
“He did break (stride) and did do things wrong last start, I’m confident he will trot this time, so that’s probably the biggest thing for punters to take away,” she said.
Beau Garcon has shown poor manners in recent starts, but if he can trot all the way and repeat the performance he produced when winning at Echuca on 1 January, and his last start before coming to Tasmania, then he should be hard to beat.
Hargreaves life partner, Alex Ashwood will take the drive tonight on the $1.70 Ladbrokes favourite.
As for Mascott, he galloped at his most recent start when first-up from a spell and he should be suited coming back to a mobile start event.
The Hargreaves stable has two runners in race six with Tasmanian owned and bred paces Shadow Ross and Moonlite Bay, who was also given a strong push on the SEN Track interview.
Moonlite Bay was well supported at his Victorian debut on 23 April when he was grabbed late in a mile rate of 1m 57.6s.
“He has drawn seven, so the confidence levels have taken a bit of a hit, but I think he is a nice horse in the making, so he is probably worth a little watch as well,” said Hargreaves who will also hand the reins to Alex Ashwood on the $2.00 favourite.
Shadow Ross has drawn more favourable in barrier two and should benefit from his first-up Victorian effort.
Streitkid in race five is the other of the Tasmanian owned horses that Hargreaves will take to Bendigo tonight.
Rated at $4.80 with Ladbrokes, Streitkid has been placed in one of three Victorian starts and will be driven by five-point concession claim driver Shannon O’Sullivan.