Launceston hosted its second-last meeting of the night racing season on Wednesday night, serving up a firm track which was upgraded to a Good 4 during the meeting. The track raced reasonably fairly with the inside only going off late in the night so there were very few horses disadvantaged through the night. Premiership contenders Raquel Clark, Brendon McCoull and David Pires all rode doubles to keep the pressure right on each other, while eight individual trainers shared the spoils.
Race 1 5:55pm The Boathouse 2yo Maiden (1100m)
Chillout was very well supported here on debut ($6 to $3.20) and showed superior speed to lead and win easily. He held the lead at a very solid clip and then responded on turning despite being attacked down the side when Raquel Clark tried to slow the tempo. Once he got away he was never in any danger and he recorded a good overall time to boot. Looks a good future ahead for this one.
In Bloom showed good improvement here at her 2nd run, finishing off nicely to run 2nd ahead of the stablemate Gemini who raced on speed and battled on into 3rd. Gee Gees Free Hero started the $3 favourite but was caught wide throughout and did a reasonable job to stick on for 4th, while Jansz was a bit plain behind him in 5th.
Race 2 6:30pm Crowe Horwath Maiden (1200m)
Race favourite Can’t Decide ($2.85) was forced to share her maiden win here when Ansaam made a lunge right on the post to dead heat for the win. Their runs were in total contrast – Can’t Decide set a good clip as she likes to do and got clear on turning but only paddled the last bit, while Ansaam was ridden much quieter this time and ran home well off an excellent Hayley McCarthy ride. Overall time was only fair considering the good clip they ran along at and both will find C1 company much stiffer than what they are used to.
Gallow Gate made good ground at the finish for a close up 3rd and will appreciate getting back out over 1400m, while Killin Falls showed enough ability at his debut run to suggest he can be winning in time. Not much to say for the rest and have serious doubts over the strength of this form.
Race 3 7:10pm Launceston Mitsubishi Maiden (1400m)
What An Option was a popular pick with punters ($3.40 to $2.55) and the way she won showed they were right on the money. After missing the start she was forced to do it tough, covering ground 3 wide for much of the race but she was still able to put a gap on them on turning and hold off the late challenge from Impulsive Lager. She was there to be beaten late but she didn’t sit down like last time and found the line strongly, running the 2nd fastest last 200m in the race. In what looks a plain maiden run in average time, she is clearly the one to take from it.
Impulsive Lager has been ticking over much better this prep and enjoyed the step up to 1400m with a fast-finishing 2nd here. Rangaondarun and Pistol Jack battled away for 3rd and 4th after being unsuited by slowing the tempo drastically mid-race, while Christopher Mac was very disappointing in 5th after having a good run throughout. Stick with the first two home going forward.
Race 4 7:45pm Tassie Instant Marquees Maiden/Class 1 (1600m)
Charcol put the writing on the wall at his first run in the state and backed it up here with an impressive win stepping up to the mile. He was relatively unwanted in betting ($3.80 to $5.50) but was given a well-judged ride by David Pires to chase down the tearaway leaders and win going away on the line. Pires won the race around the 800m mark here – while other riders were still biding their time he got on his bike and ran the quickest 800m-400m section to put himself in a winning position on turning and when the leaders started to paddle he was the one there to pounce. The overall time was only fair considering the brutal tempo so the form coming out of this could be tricky to follow.
Scouting Around set a blistering tempo while he over-raced in the lead, running 47.14 for the first half of the race which is as much as 13 lengths faster than par this season. To Clark’s credit she didn’t try and put the brakes on which would have sacrificed her big lead and instead kept the tempo genuine from the 800m. Clearly the way he staggered to the line in a tick over 26 for his last 400m proved the tempo was too fast early but he was still able to hold onto second by not compounding her first error with another. Sea Ruler went out with Scouting Around and looked beaten on turning but came again in the straight and was only beaten a tick over 2 lengths in 3rd, a good effort considering that was only his second run in the state. Hard to make much of a case for the rest although Kelly’s Diva ran home nicely but she appears to have lost some of the early speed that was so valuable earlier in her prep.
Race 5 8:20pm Westbury Hotel Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m)
Cheryl’s Horse landed some good bets here ($8 to $4.80) as David Pires again seized the initiative and won the race by doing so. In a race without much natural speed, he made a move around the 1000m to work around the field and take up the running and with the tempo only moderate he didn’t spend much petrol in doing so. Having the front in what became a sprint home was ideal and he was impossible to run down when he reeled off the 4th fastest last 400m of the night. Proven at longer trips, he has improved considerably over his past six or so runs and looks menacing as he increases his distances.
Speckie charged home into 2nd here in what was one of the runs of the night. Unsuited by the tempo, he ran yet another good race with his last 400m sectional being the fastest of the night. He can mix his distances but continues to run on hard at the finish every time he steps out. Savoire Step raced a bit closer and was alright in 3rd but the trip still doesn’t appear to bring out his best. Himation was the disappointing runner of the race, starting equal favourite with the winner on fixed odds but finished a clear last after handing up the lead to the winner in the early stages.
Race 6 8:55pm Launceston Golf Club Veterans Class 1 Handicap (1200m)
Elegatano was another well-supported winner ($5.50 to $4.20) and he appreciated the drop back to 1200m and a Brendon McCoull special to narrowly get the prize. He worked across to sit right behind the leading couple before popping out at the right time and finding the line well with the 6th fastest last 200m section of the meeting. The overall time was decent and connections are happy to talk him up as a horse of the future, which he certainly looks to be.
Cameo Kiss rattled home once again as she can do, running top 3 sections from the 800m mark home and she will be very hard to beat when connections finally see her ready to step up to 1400m. The Captain ran a solid 3rd but didn’t finish off as well as he has been capable of previously and may even be looking for the paddock after a decent campaign. Of the rest, Global Squire ran home very solidly into 4th, while Marbel Duke, Sir Marmaduke and Udayan all finished off in reasonable late splits but never threatened.
Race 7 9:30pm Cascade Brewery Class 5 Handicap (1200m)
Tshahitsi resumed here with an excellent win in what was the performance of the night. He had to go back from the wide gate and didn’t have anything to take him into the race but he was still able to come widest and run over the other two fancies with the fastest last 800, 600 and 200m sections of the night. He beat two very good horse in the process and showed once again why he is one of the most promising horses in the state. With everyone looking to stay off the fence he may have been advantaged being widest in the straight, but he’ll be competitive in anything he contests going forward, especially at this time of year.
Trot On Candy again ran a fantastic race to run 2nd back on the inside after being baulked for a run on straightening in what was her toughest test so far. She again proved she’s a filly with a big future. Issawi was sent out a very warm favourite at $2.20 but after enjoying every chance outside the leader he didn’t have enough to hold out the other 2 hopes. He still ran well in a race of very good overall time – he just ran into a couple better than him. Manchero was well supported at longer odds ($21 to $11) and ran a decent race from the front but found those in front of him clearly too good.
Race 8 10:00pm City Of Launceston Benchmark 82 Handicap (1600m)
Powercharged had the obvious form leading into this and gave her backers very little cause for concern with a dominant win. He was suited when One Shot Off went forward to challenge Miss It And A Bit but Clark took no chances on the best horse in the race, improving down the side to be challenging the leaders on turning. Despite making the long sustained run he was strongest to the line over the last 400m to win again. The overall time was very good and he again confirmed he is one of the state’s best gallopers.
Miss It And A Bit again ran an excellent race in the lead despite being pressured by One Shot Off for much of the race and has been very stiff to be beaten by two very good horses at her past three runs. Ollie’s Gold ran home well for 3rd after being ridden back in the field, and matched Powercharged’s last 800m time. It was a case of the cream rising to the top here with the three placegetters clearly the best performed horses in the race.