OUTSTANDING three-year-old pacer Gedlee made a one act affair of his heat of the Globe Derby Stakes at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston tonight.
Gedlee was sent out the long odds-on favourite ($1.30) and once taken to the lead by driver Sam Rawnsley the end result was never in doubt.
He burst well clear on the home turn when Rawnsley gave him a few centimetres more rein and was not fully extended to score from the fast-finishing Thirsty Mach with Lugovoi Leis third, just in advance of Jay Bardon.
The $30,000 Globe Derby Stakes final will be run in Launceston on June 13 and barring mishaps in the race or injury in the meantime, the connections of Gedlee should be already making planes on how they will spend the $18,000 first place prize money.
Gedlee’s trainer Phil Rawnsley revealed after the gelding won in Hobart last Sunday night that he believed his stable star was the “real deal”.
This was Gedlee’s fourth win this season with his prizemoney now closing in on $40,000.
The remaining Globe Derby heat was taken out by Enchanted Heart that led and held on to defeat Iden Justasmyrk and It’s a Hoot in a three-way photo-finish.
However Enchanted Heart’s mile rate of 2.03.3 was pedestrian compared with that of Gedlee that clocked a rate of 2.00.8 and ran home his last half (800m) in 57.3 seconds.