BRIDPORT trainer Grant Hodges took the lead in the race for the state trainer’s premiership in Launceston last Sunday night where he prepared four winners on the 10-event card.
Hodges leads Barrie Rattray and Phillip Ford by three but with Ford’s appeal against a two-year disqualification dismissed last week, the premiership battle appears to be a contest between Hodges and archrival Rattray.
Hodges has a strong team in work and his four winners last Sunday night are all capable of amassing more victories before season’s end.
His winning quartet comprised Spot Nine that was victorious in the Northern Tasmanian Light Harness Association Cup; Kalypson Kid in a heat of the Easter Cup and two of his rising stars Saturday Nights and Empty Envelope.
Spot Nine was very impressive in winning the Light Harness Cup over 2698m, much to the pleasure of punters who sent him around the $3.60 favourite.
The four-year-old gelded son of Life Sign settled worse than midfield in the one-out line and Hodges waited until the bell sounded before making his move three-wide with a lap to go.
He joined the leaders Our Sir Lew and Prettyboytoby at the top of the straight and eventually ground his way to a 2-1/2 metre win over Our Sir Lew with Prettyboytoby a neck astern.
Spot Nine has won five since joining Hodges’ stables last year.
The gelding is raced by the 18-member Jackpot Racing Syndicate that is managed by Nick Blake.
Spot Nine was purchased as a yearling for $9000 by one of the other syndicate members Terry Knowles who also trained the horse for its first preparation.
“We liked him because he was related to four or five horses in Western Australia that had gone under two minutes and his sister won a South Australian Guineas,” Knowles said.
Knowles prepared Spot Nine to win his first race but later suggested to the other owners that he be sent to Hodges to be trained on the beach at Bridport.
“The horse has bad feet and we thought it would be better to have him trained on soft ground,” Knowles said.
Spot Nine was in his element on Sunday night as his race, as were many others, was run in torrential rain.