Tasracing

It was a big night for Brighton horsewoman Taylor Ford at the Ladbrokes Racing Centre in Launceston last night.

A fourth and fifth placing in the final two heats of the 6ty° Youngbloods was enough for her to secure a two-point win in the series while she was also able to win a heat of the McKillop Insurance Brokers Tassie Golden Apple aboard Dasher Houli.

Ford’s win in the 6ty°Youngbloods Challenge continued a strong family tradition as her father Phillip won the series in 1995 and 1997 while her brother Dylan dead-heated for first in 2014

“I got a few comments last night that dad and Dylan had both won the series, so they can’t rev me up any more,” said Taylor who’s uncle Scott also won the series previously.

Ford will partner Dasher Houli in the McKillop Insurance Brokers Tassie Golden Apple Final on Saturday night December 21, and the pacer is a live chance in the final after a good heat win when first-up from a spell.

The gelded son was a bit scratchy away from the tapes before pacing away to find the lead.

Dasher Houli went on to score by 6.6 metres over Im Jaks Teller and Frostyflyer with the race favourite Illegal Immigrant in fourth sport.

“If he can lob on top (in the final) we won’t be going our first quarter in 31 seconds that’s for sure. We will be making Ryley Major do a bit of extra work,” said Ford.

“I know Dasher can sit on 30 and 29 quarters all day,” added the winning driver.

Ford also said she felt improvement with the fitness levels of the Mark Reggett trained pacer who was first-up since March with two trials under his belt this preparation.

“I felt a lot of improvement when I ripped the earplugs out at about the 500-metre mark he let down good.”

The mile rate of 2m 2.0s was significantly slower than the first heat of the series when Ryley Major stamped his class with a track record win.

The mile rate off the 30-metre handicap was 1m 57.6s, breaking the previous record of 1m 58.3s that was held by Another Safari.

Ryley Major breaks the track record in a heat of the Tassie Golden Apple heats in Launceston, 13 December 2019.

Without a doubt, the talented pacer would have to record a similar time in next Saturday’s final.

The pace was set by Full Speed Ahead who jumped on top and after a lead time of 46.3s, the pacer bowled along in a 60.0s first half mile which was forcing Ryley Major to work hard.

“He was struggling to keep up the whole way and we had to make our move when they were running, he has done a super job,” said trainer-driver Rohan Hillier post-race.

“The other horse (Full Speed Ahead) jumped on top and got a reasonable first half, and then rolled his last half pretty good (56.7s),” added Hillier.

Ryley Major has now won 22 of his 32 starts which include 12 runs on the Launceston track.

The gelded son of Art Major won in Hobart last week and Hillier has no hesitations of having three runs in three weeks in next weeks final.

“I think this horse (Ryley Major) thrives on racing so this run will do he him the world of good, when Full Speed Ahead has backed up in the past he hasn’t gone as good so maybe that is in our favour,” said the Beauty Point horseman.

The $30,000 final will be held on Saturday night December 21.

While trainer Marc Butler and driver Ricky Duggan had to settle for second with Full Speed ahead the duo walked home from the Launceston meeting with a double.

He Got Rocked enjoyed a lovely run to win the third heat of the Allen Williams Memorial before Beachboy Butch won the final race of the night.

The gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere was first up for the Butler stable and hadn’t raced or been seen in any public trial since late March.

Watch Beachboy Butch take out the last race on the program: